RETROFIT WIRELESS BLIND SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20170345313A1
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kennesaw State University (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Kennesaw State University (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Kazemian, Andrew, Amuna, Frederick Mba, Kure, Ilyas, Edwards, Deshawn, Franklin, Eli
• Granted Patent: US 10,152,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• 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 2013/9315 Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A method and system for detecting an object in the “blind-spot” of a moving vehicle. The system can be user-installed to retrofit a vehicle, e.g., one that lacks a more complex, factory-installed blind-spot detection system. The invention thus provides an inexpensive and simplified vehicle safety enhancement.

Claims

1. A method comprising

identifying a first triggering event of a wireless motion detection sensor;

establishing, in response to the first triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a threshold measurement, where the threshold measurement is based on a first status of the wireless detection sensor and the first status of the wireless detection sensor relates to a characteristic of the wireless detection sensor over a period of time;

establishing, in response to a second triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a detection measurement, where the detection measurement is based on a second status of the wireless detection sensor;

generating, by comparing the detection measurement to the threshold measurement, a detection identifier for indicating presence of an object in an area surrounding a vehicle; and

providing an indication signal, based at least in part on the detection identifier, to an indicator, where the indicator notifies a user of the presence of the object in the area surrounding the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising changing the threshold measurement based, at least in part, on the detection measurement.

3. The method of claim 1 where the motion detection sensor is powered by a battery and is retrofit into the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 where the object in the area surrounding the vehicle is moving relative to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1 where the motion detection sensor uses the Doppler radar effect to measure a velocity of the object.

6. The method of claim 5 where the motion detection sensor has a field of view of 120 degrees or more.

7. The method of claim 5 where the motion detection sensor has a range of about eight feet.

8. The method of claim 1 where the indicator includes an audio circuit.

9. The method of claim 1 where the indicator includes a digital display circuit.

10. A system comprising

a wireless interface;

a memory; and

one or more processing circuits communicatively coupled to the memory, where the one or more processing circuits are configured to;

identify a first triggering event of a wireless motion detection sensor;

establish, in response to the first triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a threshold measurement, where the threshold measurement is based on a first status of the wireless detection sensor and the first status of the wireless detection sensor relates to a characteristic of the wireless detection sensor over a period of time;

establish, in response to a second triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a detection measurement, where the detection measurement is based on a second status of the wireless detection sensor;

generate, by comparing the detection measurement to the threshold measurement, a detection identifier for indicating presence of an object in an area surrounding a vehicle; and

provide an indication signal, based at least in part on the detection identifier, to an indicator, where the indicator notifies a user of the presence of the object in the area surrounding the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10 where the one or more processing circuits are further configured to change the threshold measurement based, at least in part, on the detection measurement.

12. The system of claim 10 where the motion detection sensor is powered by a battery and is retrofit into the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 10 where the object in the area surrounding the vehicle is moving relative to the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 10 where the motion detection sensor uses the Doppler radar effect to measure a velocity of the object.

15. The system of claim 14 where the motion detection sensor has a field of view of 120 degrees or more.

16. The system of claim 14 where the motion detection sensor has a range of about eight feet.

17. The system of claim 10 where the indicator includes an audio circuit.

18. The system of claim 10 where the indicator includes a digital display circuit.

19. A computer program product disposed upon a non-transitory storage medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by a computer processor of a computer, cause the computer to

identify a first triggering event of a wireless motion detection sensor;

establish, in response to the first triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a threshold measurement, where the threshold measurement is based on a first status of the wireless detection sensor and the first status of the wireless detection sensor relates to a characteristic of the wireless detection sensor over a period of time;

establish, in response to a second triggering event of the wireless motion detection sensor, a detection measurement, where the detection measurement is based on a second status of the wireless detection sensor;

generate, by comparing the detection measurement to the threshold measurement, a detection identifier for indicating presence of an object in an area surrounding a vehicle; and

provide an indication signal, based at least in part on the detection identifier, to an indicator, where the indicator notifies a user of the presence of the object in the area surrounding the vehicle.