Method for Avoiding Collision

• US 20110210866A1
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universitaet Kassel
• Original Assignee: Universitaet Kassel
• Inventors: David, Klaus, Flach, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and another traffic participant. According to the inventive method, a cell phone carried by the traffic participant sends a signal including a position of the traffic participant. A processing unit processes the signal including the position of the traffic participant for a position or evaluation history. The processing unit determines an estimation of a future position of the traffic participant on the basis of the position or evaluation history. The processing unit evaluates a likelihood of a collision between the vehicle and the traffic participant on the basis of the estimated future position of the traffic participant and an estimation of a future position of the vehicle. An acceleration of the traffic participant is sensed by an acceleration sensor of the cell phone. This acceleration sensor is multifunctionally used by using the sensor also for a manipulation of the operating state of the cell phone by moving the cell phone. An action for avoiding a collision is automatically initiated in case that a distance of the future position of the traffic participant and the vehicle is smaller than a safety distance. According to the invention, the safety distance depends on the acceleration which is sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone.

Claims

1. Method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and another traffic participant comprising the following steps:

a) a cell phone carried by the traffic participant sends a signal including positions of the traffic participant,

b) a processing unit processes the signal including the positions of the traffic participant for a position history or evaluation history,

c) the processing unit determines an estimation of a future position of the traffic participant on the basis of the position history or evaluation history,

d) the processing unit evaluates a likelihood of a collision between the vehicle and the traffic participant on the basis of the estimated future position of the traffic participant and an estimation of a future position of the vehicle,

e) an acceleration of the traffic participant is sensed by an acceleration sensor of a cell phone carried by the traffic participant, wherein said acceleration sensor is also used for a manipulation of the operating state of said cell phone by moving said cell phone and

f) an action for avoiding a collision is automatically initiated in case that a distance of the future position of the traffic participant and said vehicle is smaller than a safety distance, wherein the safety distance depends on the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone is a vertical acceleration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein background information or context information related with the traffic participant and stored in the cell phone is reloaded and the safety distance is determined in dependence on the loaded background information or context information of said traffic participant.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said background information or context information includes an agenda of said traffic participant and the safety distance is increased in case that the actual time gets close to a meeting time of said agenda.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a reaction capability of the traffic participant on the basis of the position history or evaluation history, wherein the safety distance depends on the determined reaction capability of said traffic participant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing unit processes said signal of the cell phone for positions at at least two points in time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a moving state of said traffic participant under consideration of said position history or evaluation history.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said processing unit determines a moving state of said traffic participant under consideration of said positions at at least two different points in time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit considers or determines a moving state of said vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit considers data related with the surrounding area of the vehicle or the traffic participant for determining a future position of said traffic participant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a future position of said vehicle under consideration of operating data of said vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a future position of said vehicle under consideration of a navigation system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety distance depends on a condition of a road at said vehicle or said traffic participant.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit selects relevant signals when receiving signals from a plurality of cell phones of a plurality of traffic participants.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of background information or context information related with a traffic participant.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of an acceleration sensed by said acceleration sensor of said cell phone of said traffic participant.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of a determined reaction capability of a traffic participant related with a cell phone.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises giving a warning signal to the driver of said vehicle.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises changing an operating state of said vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises sending a warning signal to at least one vehicle in the neighborhood of said vehicle.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises sending a warning signal to said cell phone of said traffic participant.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit processes the signal of the cell phone with a frequency or intensity that depends on a position of said vehicle.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal from said cell phone is sent in reaction upon a triggering signal of the vehicle in the neighborhood of said traffic participant.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal of the cell phone is only sent in case that said cell phone is moving.