Collision Avoidance System

• US 20080189040A1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nasu, Shingo, Yoshida, Tatsuya, Yamasaki, Masaru, Ichinose, Masanori
• Application Number:
  US11/950,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189040A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

According to the present invention, an obstacle detection means detects an obstacle. An action range presumption unit presumes an action range in which the obstacle can exist in a predetermined time if the obstacle accelerates, decelerates, or turns on the basis of the moving performance of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection means. An action probability presumption unit presumes a probability of the obstacle existing in the action range on the basis of the conditions of the road on which a host vehicle and the obstacle exist and the action history of the obstacle. A driving operation support unit determines a target locus which prevents the host vehicle from moving into the presumed action range or to a position where the action probability is high and generates vehicle control information necessary for making the host vehicle run along the target locus. The driving operation support unit gives the driver instructions and warnings and assists the driver with driving operation support operations. Thus, the possibility of collision of the host vehicle with the obstacle can be reduced even if the obstacle makes an action beyond the scope of the driver'"'"'s assumption.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system comprising:

an obstacle detection means for detecting obstacles existing in the vicinity of a host vehicle;

an action range presumption means for presuming an action range in which an obstacle can exist at time a predetermined time after being detected on the basis of the moving performance of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection means;

an action probability presumption means for estimating an action probability of the obstacle existing in the action range presumed by the action range presumption means; and

a driving operation support means for determining driving operation support operations on the basis of the action range presumed by the action range presumption means and the action probability presumed by the action probability presumption means and executing the driving operation support operations.

2. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the action range presumption means further presumes an action range in which the host vehicle can exist in a predetermined time, and the action probability presumption means further presumes an action probability of the host vehicle existing in the action range.

3. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1 further comprising an obstacle characteristics detection means for identifying the type of the obstacle;

wherein the action range presumption means presumes the action range and the action probability presumption means presumes the action probability on the basis of the moving performance specific to the type of the obstacle identified by the obstacle characteristics detection means.

4. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1 further comprising a road condition grasp means for determining the condition of a road on which at least either of the host vehicle and the obstacle is running;

wherein the action range presumption means changes the action range presumed according to the road condition determined by the road condition grasp means, and the action probability presumption means changes the action probability presumed according to the road condition determined by the road condition grasp means.

5. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1 further comprising an action history storage means for storing an action history of the obstacle;

wherein the action probability presumption means presumes the action probability of the obstacle existing in the action range presumed by the action range presumption means taking into consideration the action history stored in the action history storage means.

6. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1 further comprising an external communication means capable of communicating with an external system;

wherein the action range presumption means presumes a range in which the obstacle can exist taking into consideration the information about the actions of the obstacle acquired through the external communication means, and the action probability presumption means presumes an action probability of the obstacle existing in the action range.

7. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein, when the obstacle changes traffic lanes, the action probability presumption means presumes a higher probability of the obstacle moving in the direction in which the traffic lane is changed as compared with a probability of the obstacle existing in the action range when the obstacle does not need to change traffic lanes.

8. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein, when the obstacle is stationary and cannot easily move, the action range presumption means presumes a range in which the obstacle can exist to be greater than the size of the obstacle.

9. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the action range presumption means increases the presumed range in which the obstacle can exist as the running speed of the vehicle increases.

10. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein, when a turn-signal lamp of the obstacle is turned on, the action probability presumption means presumes a higher probability of the obstacle moving in the direction indicated by the turn-signal lamp as compared with a probability of a case where any turn-signal lamp is not turned on.

11. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein the driving operation support means executes driving operation support operations so as to avoid the host vehicle moving into the action range presumed by the action range presumption means.

12. The collision avoidance system according to claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle unavoidably moves into an action range presumed by the action range presumption means in which the obstacle is expected to exist in a predetermined time, the driving operation support means carries out driving operation support operations so that the vehicle moves in a direction in which a probability presumed by the action probability presumption means is low.

13. An automobile on which the collision avoidance system according to claim 1 is mounted.