Vehicle Collision Avoidance System and Method

• US 20110018737A1
• Filed: 07/24/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automotive Research & Testing Center
• Original Assignee: Automotive Research & Testing Center
• Inventors: Liang, Chih-Neng, Ke, Liang-Yu, Hsu, Chan-Wei
• Granted Patent: US 8,154,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A vehicle collision avoidance system is implemented in a host vehicle. A wireless communication module in the host vehicles wirelessly broadcasts vehicle information packages of the host vehicle and receives external vehicle information packages from other neighboring vehicles. Based on the received vehicle information packages, a collision avoidance process is performed. The process has steps of mapping coordinates system, categorizing collision zones, determining whether a possible collision position exists, calculating a collision time and outputting warning messages. The estimations of the possible collision position and the collision time are not affected by the positions of the neighboring vehicles. Therefore, the neighboring vehicles approaching the host vehicle from different direction are effectively monitored.

Claims

1. A vehicle collision avoidance method comprising the steps of:

broadcasting vehicle information packages from a host vehicle to a neighboring vehicle and receiving external vehicle information packages sent from the neighboring vehicle, each of the vehicle information packages comprising coordinates, a driving speed and a driving direction of the corresponded vehicle;

mapping coordinates of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle from world geodetic system to local navigation system (NED coordinate);

categorizing collision zones by using the heading angles and the coordinates of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle to estimate a possible collision position, a distance from the host vehicle to the possible collision position, and a distance from the neighboring vehicle to the possible collision position;

determining whether the possible collision position exists using two conditions, wherein

the first condition is to check whether a pointing direction of a first position vector defined from the host vehicle to the possible position is the same as the driving direction of the host vehicle;

the second condition is to check whether a pointing direction of a second position vector defined from the neighboring to the possible collision position is the same as the driving direction of the neighboring vehicle; and

the existence of the possible collision position is confirmed when the two point directions are the same as the driving directions of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle respectively;

calculating a collision time by using the driving speeds, the distance between the host vehicle to the possible collision position, and the distance between the neighboring vehicle to the possible collision position to calculate at least one collision time; and

outputting warning messages containing the at least one collision time and the possible collision position.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of categorizing collision zones further comprises:

defining a triangular geometric relationship by the position A of the neighboring vehicle, the position B of the host vehicle and the possible collision position C;

taking a heading angle H_B of the host vehicle, a heading angle H_A of the neighboring vehicle, a host vehicle-based relative angle H_AB, a neighboring vehicle-based relative angle H_BA, a straight distance D between the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle to compute two internal angles □

A and □

B and a collision angle □

C;

computing two distance parameters BDM and ADM based on the law of sine

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the two internal angles □

A and □

B are computed by the steps of;

defining the position B of the host vehicle as an original and determining a quadrant of the position A of the neighboring vehicle relative to the original;

selecting a type in a group consisting of type I to type VIII to calculate the two internal angles □

A and □

B based on the quadrant of the position A of the neighboring vehicle, wherein the eight types are

type I;

□

A=2π

−

H_BA+H_A,, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type II;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=H_B−

H_AB;

type III;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type IV;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=2π

+H_AB−

H_B;

type V;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=2π

−

H_AB+H_B;

type VI;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type VII;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=H_B−

H_AB; and

type VIII;

□

A=2π

−

H_A+H_BA, □

B=H_B−

H_AB;

wherein one of the type I to type IV is selected when the position A of the neighboring vehicle is located in the first or the fourth quadrant to obtain two positive internal angles □

A and □

B smaller than 180 degrees; and

wherein one of the type V to type VIII is selected when the position A of the neighboring vehicle is located in the second or the third quadrant to obtain two positive internal angles □

A and □

B smaller than 180 degrees.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one collision time comprises a first and a second longitudinal collision time and a lateral collision time;

the first longitudinal collision time t_ADM is calculated by an equation

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of outputting warning messages comprises:

displaying a graphic image containing the at least one collision time and the possible collision position.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the step of outputting warning messages comprises:

displaying a graphic image containing the at least one collision time and the possible collision position.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the step of outputting warning messages comprises:

displaying a graphic image containing the at least one collision time and the possible collision position.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the step of outputting warning messages comprises:

displaying a graphic image containing the at least one collision time and the possible collision position, wherein a display position of each neighboring vehicle is calculated by an equation;

9. A vehicle collision avoidance system comprising:

a position module for providing position data of a host vehicle;

a processing unit receiving the position data, computing a driving speed and a driving direction of the host vehicle, producing vehicle information packages including the driving speed and the driving direction, storing a collision avoidance process having steps of mapping coordinates system, categorizing collision zones, determining whether a possible collision position exists, calculating a collision time and outputting warning messages;

a wireless communication module connected to the processing unit, broadcasting the vehicle information packages produced by the processing unit, receiving external vehicle information packages sent from a neighboring vehicle, and transmitting the received external vehicle information packages to the processing unit for data computation;

a warning unit connected to and driven by the processing unit to produce warning messages for noticing a vehicle driver.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the warning unit is a display showing a warning image.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the warning unit further outputs altering sounds.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the collision avoidance process further comprises:

broadcasting the vehicle information packages from the host vehicle to the neighboring vehicle and receiving the external vehicle information packages sent from the neighboring vehicle, each of the vehicle information packages comprising the coordinates, the driving speed and the driving direction of the corresponded vehicle;

in the step of mapping coordinates system, the coordinates of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle are mapped from world geodetic system to local navigation system (NED coordinate);

in the step of categorizing collision zones, the heading angles and the coordinates of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle are used to estimate a possible collision position, a distance from the host vehicle to the possible collision position, and a distance from the neighboring vehicle to the possible collision position;

in the step of determining whether the possible collision position exists, two conditions are applied, wherein

the first condition is to check whether a pointing direction of a first position vector defined from the host vehicle to the possible position is the same as the driving direction of the host vehicle;

the second condition is to check whether a pointing direction of a second position vector defined from the neighboring to the possible collision position is the same as the driving direction of the neighboring vehicle; and

the existence of the possible collision position is confirmed when the two point directions are the same as the driving directions of the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle respectively; and

in the step of calculating a collision time, the driving speeds, the distance between the host vehicle to the possible collision position, and the distance between the neighboring vehicle to the possible collision position are applied to calculate at least one collision time.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of categorizing collision zones further comprises:

defining a triangular geometric relationship by the position A of the neighboring vehicle, the position B of the host vehicle and the possible collision position C;

taking a heading angle H_B of the host vehicle, a heading angle H_A of the neighboring vehicle, a host vehicle-based relative angle H_AB, a neighboring vehicle-based relative angle H_BA, a straight distance D between the host vehicle and the neighboring vehicle to compute two internal angles □

A and □

B and a collision angle □

C;

computing two distance parameters BDM and ADM based on the law of sine

14. The system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the two internal angles □

A and □

B are computed by the steps of;

defining the position B of the host vehicle as an original and determining a quadrant of the position A of the neighboring vehicle relative to the original;

selecting a type in a group consisting of type I to type VIII to calculate the two internal angles □

A and □

B based on the quadrant of the position A of the neighboring vehicle, wherein the eight types are

type I;

□

A=2π

−

H_BA+H_A,, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type II;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=H_B−

H_AB;

type III;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type IV;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=2π

+H_AB−

H_B;

type V;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=2π

−

H_AB+H_B;

type VI;

□

A=H_A−

H_BA, □

B=H_AB−

H_B;

type VII;

□

A=H_BA−

H_A, □

B=H_B−

H_AB; and

type VIII;

□

A=2π

−

H_A+H_BA, □

B=H_B−

H_AB;

wherein one of the type I to type IV is selected when the position A of the neighboring vehicle is located in the first or the fourth quadrant to obtain two positive internal angles □

A and □

B smaller than 180 degrees; and

wherein one of the type V to type VIII is selected when the position A of the neighboring vehicle is located in the second or the third quadrant to obtain two positive internal angles □

A and □

B smaller than 180 degrees.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one collision time comprises a first and a second longitudinal collision time and a lateral collision time;

the first longitudinal collision time t_ADM is calculated by an equation

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein all of the neighboring vehicles are displayed in a screen;

each of the neighboring vehicles is displayed on a position (B_x, B_y) calculated by an equation;