MONITORING APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 20140156159A1
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Cund, Mark, Gilling, Simon, Widdowson, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,535,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• 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: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/205 Steering speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/58 Velocity or trajectory determination systems; Sense-of-movement determination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a host vehicle by means of at least one sensor, the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between the host vehicle and the one or more target objects, wherein the apparatus is arranged to monitor one or more control inputs of the vehicle and to over-ride triggering of the at least one action such that triggering of the at least one action is not performed in the event that a prescribed movement of one or more of the control inputs is detected.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring one or more target objects in an environment external to a host vehicle by means of at least one sensor,

the apparatus being arranged to trigger at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between a host vehicle and the one or more target objects,

wherein the apparatus is arranged to monitor one or more control inputs of a host vehicle and to over-ride triggering of the at least one action such that triggering of the at least one action is not performed in the event that a prescribed movement of one or more of the control inputs is detected.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 arranged to trigger the at least one action responsive to the detection of prescribed relative movement between a host vehicle and the one or more target objects in further dependence on the speed of a host vehicle.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 arranged to monitor or detect movement of a steering wheel of a host vehicle.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein in the event a steering wheel is turned at a rate exceeding a prescribed rate the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein in the event a steering wheel is turned beyond a prescribed angle relative to a reference position the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the reference position is a position of a steering wheel corresponding to movement of a host vehicle in a substantially straight forward direction.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is arranged to monitor movement of an accelerator control of a host vehicle.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein in the event an accelerator control moves at a rate the magnitude of which exceeds a prescribed rate the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action when an accelerator control moves at a rate the magnitude of which exceeds a first prescribed rate in a direction to increase an amount of power developed by a powertrain of a host vehicle.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action when an accelerator control is moved at a rate the magnitude of which exceeds a second prescribed rate in a direction to decrease an amount of power developed by a powertrain of a host vehicle.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the first and second rates are substantially the same.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 configured to perform a brake pre-arm operation when an accelerator control is moved at a rate the magnitude of which exceeds a third prescribed rate in a direction to decrease an amount of power developed by a powertrain of a host vehicle, the brake-pre-arm operation being an operation in which a pressure of brake fluid of a host vehicle is increased thereby to reduce an amount of time taken to slow a host vehicle if the brake pressure is subsequently increased.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the third prescribed rate and the second prescribed rate are substantially the same.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the third prescribed rate is less than the second prescribed rate.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the third prescribed rate is greater than the second prescribed rate.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein in the event an accelerator control is depressed beyond a prescribed position the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 arranged to monitor or detect movement of a brake control of a host vehicle.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein in the event a brake control is depressed at a rate exceeding a prescribed rate the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein in the event a brake control is depressed beyond a prescribed position the apparatus is arranged to over-ride triggering of the at least one action.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one action comprises triggering application of one or more brakes of a host vehicle thereby to slow a host vehicle.

21-42. -42. (canceled)