Pedestrian Warning System for an Electric or Hybrid Vehicle

• US 20120179280A1
• Filed: 07/07/2010
• Published: 07/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Faye, Ian
• Application Number:
  US13/386,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/008 for signaling silent vehicles, e.g. for warning that a hybrid or electric vehicle is approaching

Abstract

A system is disclosed for warning at least one person in the vicinity of a motor vehicle, particularly an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The system includes at least one generator for generating an audio signal, a device for switching the generator on and off and/or for controlling the volume of the audio signal. At least one person and/or an object in the vicinity of the motor vehicle can be captured by a person-detecting system, and the at least one generator can be switched on and off and/or the volume of the audio signal can be controlled by the device as a function of the at least one person and/or the object.

Claims

1. A system for warning at least one person in surroundings of a motor vehicle, comprising

at least one generator configured to produce an audio signal,

a device configured to switch on and off the generator and/or control the volume of the audio signal, and

a person recognition system configured to sense at least one person and/or an object in the surroundings of the motor vehicle, and

wherein the device switches on or off the at least one generator and/or controls the volume of the audio signal based on the person recognition system sensing the at least one person and/or the object.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a computational unit, wherein:

data captured by the person recognition system and the computation unit is utilized to ascertain a hazard potential which the motor vehicle presents to the at least one person, and

the device switches on or off the at least one generator and/or controls the volume of the audio signal based on the hazard potential.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device controls the volume of the audio signal based on the magnitude of the hazard potential.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the greater the hazard potential, the higher the volume of the audio signal produced by the at least one generator, and vice versa.

5. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the magnitude of the hazard potential can be ascertained on the basis of the distance and/or an alteration in the distance between the motor vehicle and the at least one person and/or on the basis of the distance between a probable path of the motor vehicle and the at least one person.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio signal is a tone, a sound, an engine noise, or a warning signal.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the person recognition system is a video system and/or a radar and/or an infrared camera.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one generator is a loudspeaker and/or a bell.

9. A method for warning at least one person in surroundings of a motor vehicle, comprising:

producing an audio signal,

ascertaining a hazard potential from the traveling motor vehicle for the at least one person in the surroundings of the motor vehicle, and

controlling the volume and/or the presence of the audio signal based on the hazard potential.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising utilizing a person recognition system to sense the at least one person.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the magnitude of the hazard potential is ascertained on the basis of the distance and/or an alteration in the distance between the motor vehicle and the at least one person and/or on the basis of the distance between a probable path of the motor vehicle and the at least one person and/or on the basis of the distance between the probable path of the motor vehicle and a probable path of the at least one person.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the surroundings of the motor vehicle are sensed using GPS and stored maps, and

the surroundings are taken as a basis for ascertaining the hazard potential.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the greater the hazard potential, the higher the volume of the audio signal produced by the at least one generator, and vice versa.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein from a prescribed first magnitude of the hazard potential upward the at least one generator is switched on and/or a drop below the prescribed first magnitude of the hazard potential prompts the at least one generator to be switched off.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein from a prescribed second magnitude of the hazard potential upward the audio signal is changed over from an engine noise to a warning signal and/or a drop below the prescribed second magnitude of the hazard potential prompts the audio signal to be changed over from the warning signal to an engine noise.