Vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus

• US 20080312834A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Noda, Kazuhiro, Isogai, Akira, Ito, Yosuke, Hashimoto, Kazuma
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/024 Collision mitigation systems
• 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

Abstract

The vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus includes a function of calculating a TTC indicative of a time remaining before collision with a forward obstacle on the basis of the distance to this obstacle and the reference speed therebetween, a function of alarming a driver of the vehicle of presence of a risk of collision with the obstacle if the TTC is shorter than a predetermined first time, a function of increasing a braking force generated by a braking operation performed by the driver if the TTC is shorter than a predetermined second time not longer than the predetermined first time, and a function of automatically generating a braking force if the TTC is shorter than a predetermined third time shorter than the predetermined first time. The alarming function is configured to make an alarm for a driver of a following vehicle that the preceding vehicle may decelerate abruptly.

Claims

1. A vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus comprising:

a first function of detecting a distance to a forward obstacle existing ahead of a first vehicle on which said vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus is mounted in a traveling direction of said first vehicle;

a second function of detecting a relative speed between said first vehicle and said forward obstacle;

a third function of calculating a TTC indicative of a time remaining before collision between said first vehicle and said forward obstacle on the basis of said distance and said reference speed;

a fourth function of alarming a driver of said first vehicle of presence of a risk of collision with said forward obstacle if said TTC is shorter than a predetermined first time;

a fifth function of increasing a first braking force generated by a braking operation performed by said driver if said TTC is shorter than a predetermined second time not longer than said predetermined first time;

a sixth function of automatically generating a second braking force if said TTC is shorter than a predetermined third time shorter than said predetermined first time;

wherein said fourth function is configured to make an alarm for a driver of a second vehicle following said first vehicle that said first vehicle may decelerate abruptly to avoid collision with said forward obstacle at a timing which is the same as, or before a timing at which said fifth function increases said first braking force, and which is before a timing at which said sixth function automatically generates said second braking force.

2. The vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fourth function is configured to make said alarm by causing hazard lamps of said first vehicle to flicker.

3. The vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fourth function is configured to make said alarm by causing brake lamps of said first vehicle to light or flicker.

4. The vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined second time is varied depending on said relative speed within a range not exceeding said first predetermined time.

5. The vehicle-use collision mitigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fifth function is configured to set a braking apparatus of said first vehicle to a standby state at a timing when said TTC becomes equal to or shorter than said second predetermined time, so that said first braking force is generated immediately when said driver of said first vehicle performs said braking operation.