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Method and apparatus for reducing collision injury/damage of vehicles

  • US 20110125372A1
  • Filed: 11/19/2010
  • Published: 05/26/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for reducing damage from collisions, the apparatus being mounted on a vehicle provided with a protection device, the apparatus comprising:

  • a detector that detects an object located in a field in a travel direction of the vehicle;

    a time estimator that estimates a time to collision (TTC) based on results detected by the detector, the time to collision being a ratio of a relative speed between the object and the vehicle to a relative distance between the object and the vehicle;

    a first determination device that determines whether or not the time to collision is equal to or less than a first threshold time predetermined for the time to collision;

    a controller that performs automatic intervention braking in the vehicle when it determined by the first determination device that the time to collision is equal to or shorter than the first threshold time;

    a second determination device that determines whether or not the time to collision is equal to or shorter than a second threshold time set to be shorter than the first threshold time and meets a preset actuation condition for protection of the vehicle;

    a protection controller that makes the protection device active for the protection of the vehicle when the second determination device determines that the time to collision is equal to or shorter than the second threshold time; and

    a speed estimator that estimate a collision speed based on an deceleration of the vehicle which is caused by the automatic intervention braking, the collision speed corresponding to the relative speed estimated when it is assumed that the vehicle will collide with the object,wherein the preset actuation condition is a condition that the collision speed estimated by the speed estimator is equal to or higher than a preset threshold speed.

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