Method of Intersection Identification for Collision Warning System

• US 20120188098A1
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Yutaka
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method of identifying an intersection for a collision warning system is disclosed. The method includes steps of selecting an identified intersection where a driver intends to turn from a set of potential intersections. The collision warning system is then controlled according to the identified intersection.

Claims

1. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

retrieving a predetermined distance;

determining a set of potential intersections from the intersection information, the set of potential intersections including all the intersections that are less than the predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle;

selecting an identified intersection from the set of potential intersections;

determining a threat level according to the identified intersection; and

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle according to the threat level.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information is received from a navigation system.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information is received from a map database.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information includes locations of residential driveways.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information includes locations of commercial driveways.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining a threat level according to the identified intersection includes a step of receiving information from a remote vehicle.

7. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

determining a vehicle speed;

determining at least one potential intersection;

determining a distance from the motor vehicle to the at least one potential intersection;

retrieving a threshold speed and a threshold distance;

setting the potential intersection as an identified intersection when the vehicle speed is below the threshold speed and when the distance is below the threshold distance; and

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle according to the identified intersection.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of controlling the collision warning system further includes steps of receiving information from a remote vehicle and determining if the remote vehicle is close to the identified intersection.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of determining at least one potential intersection includes steps of retrieving a predetermined distance and determining a set of potential intersections from the intersection information, the set of potential intersections including all the intersections that are less than the predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the value of the threshold speed varies for different intersections.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the value of the threshold distance varies for different intersections.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the step of controlling the collision warning system further comprises steps of:

determining a next intersection from the set of potential intersections, the next intersection being further in front of the motor vehicle than the identified intersection;

determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in a normal alert mode when there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling the collision warning system in an enhanced alert mode when there is not a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection; and

wherein the enhanced alert mode is different than the normal alert mode

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the collision warning system issues more alerts in the enhanced alert mode than in the normal alert mode.

14. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

determining an identified intersection and a next intersection from a set of potential intersections, the next intersection being further in front of the motor vehicle than the identified intersection;

determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in a normal alert mode when there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling the collision warning system in an enhanced alert mode when there is not a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection; and

wherein the enhanced alert mode is different than the normal alert mode.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further includes steps of:

determining if there is a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in the normal alert mode when there is a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection; and

controlling the collision warning system in the enhanced alert mode when there is not a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method includes a step of determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the identified intersection and wherein the collision warning system is operated in the normal alert mode if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the identified intersection.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method includes a step of determining if the motor vehicle is stopped at the identified intersection and wherein the collision warning system is operated in the normal alert mode if the motor vehicle is stopped at the identified intersection.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of determining an identified intersection further includes the steps of:

determining a vehicle speed for the motor vehicle;

selecting at least one potential intersection from the set of potential intersections;

determining a distance from the motor vehicle to the at least one potential intersection;

retrieving a threshold speed and a threshold distance; and

setting the potential intersection as an identified intersection when the vehicle speed is below the threshold speed and when the distance is below the threshold distance.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the set of potential intersections comprises all intersections within a predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection includes a step of receiving information from the leading vehicle using a vehicle communication network.