SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EVALUATION OF AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE FORWARD COLLISION THREAT

• US 20110077864A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polestar Performance AB (Polestar Automotive Holding UK Plc)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Konijnendijk, Bjorn
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance 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
• 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 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• 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 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/66 Sonar tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/93 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 : Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 : Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and system operable for evaluation of an automotive vehicle forward collision threat. The presence of an oncoming vehicle in front of a host vehicle is established and a passing position of the host vehicle for the moment when the vehicles reach each other is predicted. In addition, a free passing distance for free passing of the oncoming vehicle on a first side of the host vehicle is predicted for the situation when the host vehicle is positioned in the passing position. The free passing distance is the minimum distance between the first side of the host vehicle and a road edge. A width of the oncoming vehicle is also estimated. If the free passing distance is equal to or less than a comparison value, it is decided that a forward vehicle collision threat exists. The comparison value is at least equal to the width of the oncoming vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for evaluation of an automotive vehicle forward collision threat comprising:

establishing the presence of an oncoming vehicle in front of a host vehicle, said host vehicle and said oncoming vehicle traveling on a road, and said oncoming vehicle being intended to pass said host vehicle on a first side of said host vehicle;

estimating a longitudinal velocity of said oncoming vehicle;

estimating a longitudinal distance (d) between said host vehicle and said oncoming vehicle;

determining a longitudinal velocity and a lateral velocity of said host vehicle and predicting a future path of said host vehicle;

predicting a passing position of said host vehicle on said road for the moment when said host vehicle and said oncoming vehicle reach each other, whereby the prediction is based on said longitudinal velocity of said oncoming vehicle, said longitudinal distance, said longitudinal and lateral velocity of said host vehicle and said future path of said host vehicle;

predicting a free passing distance (f) for free passing of said oncoming vehicle on said first side of said host vehicle on said road, whereby said free passing distance is predicted for the situation when said host vehicle is positioned in said passing position, whereby said free passing distance (f) is the minimum distance between said first side of said host vehicle and a road edge intended to be located on an opposite side of said oncoming vehicle compared to said host vehicle when said vehicles reach each other;

estimating a maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle;

deciding that a vehicle forward collision threat exists if said free passing distance (f) is equal to or less than a comparison value, whereby said comparison value is at least equal to said estimated maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle, and deciding that no vehicle forward collision threat exists if said free passing distance (f) is greater than said comparison value, and

upon deciding that said vehicle forward collision threat exists, signaling the decision to a collision avoidance task execution system.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the presence of said oncoming vehicle is established by a front sensor selected from the group of a radar, a lidar, a laser and a camera based sensor.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said free passing distance (f) is approximated to be the minimum distance between said first side of said host vehicle and a lane border intended to be located on an opposite side of said oncoming vehicle compared to said host vehicle when said vehicles reach each other.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said free passing distance (f) is predicted by utilization of a lane marker sensor.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising estimating a vehicle size class of said oncoming vehicle, whereby said maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle is estimated to be a pre-set standard maximum transverse width (w) of vehicles of said estimated vehicle size class.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said maximum transverse width (w) is estimated to be a pre-set value.

7. An automotive vehicle forward collision threat evaluation system comprising:

means for establishing the presence of an oncoming vehicle traveling on a road in front of a vehicle hosting said system and traveling on said road (16), said oncoming vehicle being intended to pass said host vehicle on a first side of said host vehicle;

means for estimating a longitudinal velocity of said oncoming vehicle;

means for estimating a longitudinal distance (d) between said host vehicle and said oncoming vehicle;

means for determining a longitudinal velocity and a lateral velocity of said host vehicle and predicting a future path of said host vehicle;

means for predicting a passing position of said host vehicle on said road for the moment when said host vehicle and said oncoming vehicle reach each other, whereby said means for predicting a passing position are arranged to base the prediction on said longitudinal velocity of said oncoming vehicle, said longitudinal distance, said longitudinal and lateral velocity of said host vehicle and said future path of said host vehicle;

means for predicting a free passing distance (f) for free passing of said oncoming vehicle on said first side of said host vehicle on said road, whereby said means for predicting a free passing distance (f) are arranged for predicting the free passing distance (f) for the situation when said host vehicle is positioned in said passing position, whereby said free passing distance (f) is the minimum distance between said first side of said host vehicle and a road edge intended to be located on an opposite side of said oncoming vehicle compared to said host vehicle when said vehicles (2, 15) reach each other;

means for estimating a maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle;

means for deciding whether a vehicle forward collision threat exists or not, whereby said decision means are arranged to decide that a vehicle forward collision threat exists if said free passing distance (f) is equal to or less than a comparison value, whereby said comparison value is at least equal to said estimated maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle, and to decide that no vehicle forward collision threat exists if said free passing distance (f) is greater than said comparison value, and

means for signaling to a collision avoidance task execution system, whereby said signaling means are arranged to signal a decision of the existence of a vehicle forward collision threat to said execution system.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means for establishing the presence of an oncoming vehicle comprises a front sensor selected from the group of:

a radar, a lidar, a laser and a camera based sensor.

9. A system according to claim 7 wherein said free passing distance (f) is approximated to be the minimum distance between said first side of said host vehicle and a lane border intended to be located on an opposite side of said oncoming vehicle compared to said host vehicle when said vehicles reach each other.

10. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means for predicting a free passing distance (f) comprises a lane marker sensor.

11. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means for estimating said maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle comprises means for estimating a vehicle size class of said oncoming vehicle, whereby said means for estimating said maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle are arranged to estimate the maximum transverse width (w) to be a pre-set standard maximum transverse width of vehicles of said estimated vehicle size class of the oncoming vehicle.

12. A system according to any of claim 7 wherein said means for estimating said maximum transverse width (w) of said oncoming vehicle are arranged to estimate said maximum transverse width (w) to be a pre-set value.

13. A vehicle collision threat system operable to:

determine presence of an other vehicle in front of a host vehicle, the host vehicle and the other vehicle traveling on a road, the other vehicle being intended to pass the host vehicle on a first side of the host vehicle;

determine a passing position where the host vehicle and the other vehicle will reach each other on the road;

determine a free passing distance for free passing of the other vehicle on the first side of the host vehicle on the road, the free passing distance being determined for a situation when the host vehicle is positioned in the passing position, the free passing distance being the minimum distance between the first side of the host vehicle and a road edge located on an outer side of the other vehicle opposite to an inner side of the other vehicle closest to the first side of the host vehicle when the vehicles reach each other on the road;

determine a transverse width of the other vehicle;

determine a vehicle collision threat exists in the event the free passing distance is equal to or less than a comparison value, the comparison value being at least equal to the transverse width of the other vehicle; and

determine no vehicle collision threat exists in the event the free passing distance is greater than the comparison value.

14. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine both of the vehicle threat exists and no vehicle threat exists without determining a travel path of the other vehicle.

15. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine both of the vehicle threat exists and no vehicle threat exists without using lateral velocity and lateral acceleration of the other vehicle.

16. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine both of the vehicle threat exists and no vehicle threat exists when the other vehicle is approaching the host vehicle.

17. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine both of the vehicle threat exists and no vehicle threat exists when the other vehicle is traveling in a same direction as the host vehicle.

18. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to:

determine a longitudinal velocity of the other vehicle;

determine a longitudinal distance between the host vehicle and the other vehicle;

determine a longitudinal velocity and a lateral velocity of the host vehicle

determine a future path of the host vehicle;

determine the passing position based on the longitudinal velocity of the other vehicle, the longitudinal distance, the longitudinal and lateral velocity of the host vehicle and the future path of the host vehicle.

19. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine the free passing system based on a distance determined by a lane marker sensor on the host vehicle.

20. The vehicle collision system of claim 13 being further operable to determine the traverse width of the other vehicle based on a width determined by a front sensor on the host vehicle.