Method and Device for Avoiding and/or Reducing the Consequences of Collisions Upon Evasion with Respect to Obstacles

• US 20080319610A1
• Filed: 01/12/2006
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmidt, Christian, Branz, Wolfgang, Oechsle, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 8,392,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/024 Collision mitigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/02 Active Steering, Steer-by-Wire
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17558 specially adapted for collision avoidance or collision mitigation road vehicle drive control systems for collision avoidance otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/09
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering

Abstract

A method and a device for assisting a driver of a vehicle to avoid collisions with obstacles are provided, in which method at least one obstacle is detected by way of at least one surroundings sensor, and data of the obstacle are ascertained. On the basis of the data of the obstacle and data of the vehicle, a vehicle deceleration that is favorable for assistance of an evasive operation is ascertained, and the vehicle is correspondingly decelerated.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle to avoid a collision with an obstacle, comprising:

detecting at least one obstacle by using at least one surroundings sensor, wherein physical data of the at least one obstacle is ascertained;

ascertaining, on the basis of the physical data of the at least one obstacle and physical data of the vehicle, an optimum deceleration of the vehicle for assisting the driver in an evasive maneuver of the vehicle; and

decelerating the vehicle in accordance with the ascertained optimum deceleration.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a determination is made on the basis of the physical data of the at least one obstacle and the physical data of the vehicle whether a collision with the obstacle is avoidable by braking of the vehicle alone, and wherein the deceleration of the vehicle is performed if the collision with the obstacle is not avoidable by braking alone.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a determination is made on the basis of the physical data of the at least one obstacle and the physical data of the vehicle whether a collision with the obstacle is avoidable by steering alone, and wherein the deceleration of the vehicle is performed if the collision with the obstacle is not avoidable by steering alone.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the physical data of the at least one obstacle include at least one of motion parameters and extent parameters of the at least one obstacle.

18. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the physical data of the vehicle include motion parameters of the vehicle.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the physical data of the at least one obstacle include at least one of motion parameters and extent parameters of the at least one obstacle.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the physical data of the vehicle include motion parameters of the vehicle.

21. The method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

performing a steering assistance including modifying by a steering actuator the driver'"'"'s steering input so that an optimum evasive trajectory of the vehicle for avoiding a collision is implemented.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the steering assistance is dependent on the driver'"'"'s previous steering-wheel actuation.

23. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein in determining whether a collision with the obstacle is avoidable, motion-dynamics possibilities of the vehicle and the at least one obstacle are considered.

24. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein in determining whether a collision with the obstacle is avoidable, motion-dynamics possibilities of the vehicle and the at least one obstacle are considered.

25. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

performing an automatic emergency braking action if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by braking alone.

26. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

performing an automatic emergency braking action if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by steering alone.

27. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

warning the driver of the condition in which a collision is unavoidable by braking alone, wherein the warning is at least one of optical, acoustical and haptic warning.

28. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

warning the driver of the condition in which a collision is unavoidable by steering alone, wherein the warning is at least one of optical, acoustical and haptic warning.

29. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

actuating a reversible restraint system if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by braking alone.

30. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

actuating a reversible restraint system if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by steering alone.

31. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

performing a reparameterization of a restraint system if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by braking alone.

32. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

performing a reparameterization of a restraint system if it is determined that a collision is unavoidable by steering alone.

33. A device for assisting a driver of a vehicle to avoid a collision with an obstacle, comprising:

at least one surrounding sensor configured to detect at least one obstacle;

a control unit configured to receive signals from the at least one surroundings sensor, wherein the control unit ascertains physical data of the at least one obstacle on the basis of the signals from the at least one surrounding sensor, and wherein the control unit is configured to ascertain, on the basis of the physical data of the at least one obstacle and physical data of the vehicle, an optimum deceleration of the vehicle for assisting the driver in an evasive maneuver of the vehicle, and wherein the control unit generates control signals to achieve deceleration of the vehicle in accordance with the ascertained optimum deceleration.