System for preventing collision for vehicle

• US 5,714,928 A
• Filed: 04/19/1996
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
• Inventors: Nagai, Takao, Sudo, Tsugio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/635,284
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• 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: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A collision preventing system for a vehicle has a brake system. The system includes first preview sensor detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a first distal detection zone to produce a first signal indicative of presence of the obstacle and distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle, and a second preview sensor detecting the obstacle in front of the vehicle in a second proximal detection zone to produce a second signal indicative of at least presence of the obstacle. The system further includes third vehicle speed sensor detecting vehicular traveling speed and generating a vehicle speed indicative signal. A control unit is connected to the first and second preview sensor for receiving the first and second signals. The control unit is responsive to the first signal for deriving vehicular deceleration pattern for stopping the vehicle without colliding on the obstacle on the basis of the distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle and the vehicle speed indicated by the vehicle speed indicative signal, and responsive to the second signal for operating the brake system for instant stop of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A collision preventing system for a vehicle having a brake system, comprising:

first preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a first distal detection zone, said first preview sensor means producing a first signal indicative of the presence of an obstacle and distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle;

second preview sensor means provided at the front end of said vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a proximal detection zone, said second preview sensor means producing a second signal indicative of at least the presence of said obstacle;

vehicle speed sensor means for detecting vehicular traveling speed and generating a vehicle speed indicative signal; and

control means, having a pre-programmed route programmed therein, connected to said first and second preview sensor means for receiving said first and second signals and connected to said vehicle speed sensor means for

receiving said vehicle speed indicative signal, determining whether said obstacle is present on said pre-programmed traveling route and selecting a vehicular deceleration pattern for stopping the vehicle without colliding on an obstacle on the basis of the distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle and the vehicle speed indicated by said vehicle speed indicative signal, only if said obstacle is determined to be on said pre-programmed traveling route;

said control means being responsive to said second signal for operating said brake system for instantly stopping the vehicle.

3. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first distal detection zone of said first preview sensor means is elongated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said first distal detection zone of said first preview sensor means has a narrower lateral width than a width of said vehicular body.

5. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said first preview sensor means employs a laser beam diffused over said first distal detection zone as a detecting medium.

6. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second proximal zone of said second preview sensor is elongated in lateral direction in an area near the front end of the vehicle.

7. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said second preview sensor employs an ultrasonic wave spread over said second proximal detection zone as a detection medium.

2. A collision preventing system for a vehicle having a brake system, comprising:

first preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a first distal detection zone, said first preview sensor means producing a first signal indicative of a presence of an obstacle and distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle;

second preview sensor means provided at the front end of said vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a proximal detection zone, said second preview sensor means producing a second signal indicative of at least presence of said obstacle;

vehicle speed sensor means for detecting vehicular traveling speed and generating a vehicle speed indicative signal;

control means connected to said first and second preview sensor means for receiving said first and second signals and connected to said vehicle speed sensor means for receiving said vehicle speed indicative signal, and being responsive to said first signal for deriving a vehicular deceleration pattern for stopping the vehicle without colliding on an obstacle on the basis of the distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle and the vehicle speed indicated by said vehicle speed indicative signal, and responsive to said second signal for operating said brake system for instantly stopping the vehicle; and

which further comprises a touch sensor means projecting from the front end of said vehicular body for detecting an obstacle contacting thereto and producing a contacting obstacle detection signal, and wherein said control means is responsive to said contacting obstacle detection signal for operating said brake system for instantly stopping.

8. A collision preventing system for a vehicle having a brake system, comprising:

first preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a first distal detection zone, said first preview sensor means producing a first signal indicative of a presence of an obstacle and distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle;

second preview sensor means provided at the front end of said vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a proximal detection zone, said second preview sensor means producing a second signal indicative of at least presence of said obstacle;

vehicle speed sensor means for detecting vehicular traveling speed and generating a vehicle speed indicative signal;

control means connected to said first and second preview sensor means for receiving said first and second signals and connected to said vehicle speed sensor means for receiving said vehicle speed indicative signal, and being responsive to said first signal for deriving a vehicular deceleration pattern for stopping the vehicle without colliding on an obstacle on the basis of the distance between the obstacle and the front end of the vehicle and the vehicle speed indicated by said vehicle speed indicative signal, and responsive to said second signal for operating said brake system for instantly stopping of the vehicle; and

which further comprises means for distinguishing up-hill ground from obstacle on the basis of a variation of the distance between an obstacle and the front end of the vehicle relative to a traveling distance for avoiding erroneous detection of the obstacle upon detection of the up-hill ground.

9. An obstacle detection system for a vehicle comprising:

preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle, said preview sensor means producing a detection signal indicative of a distance to the detected obstacle;

means for monitoring a traveling distance of the vehicle; and

means for distinguishing the obstacle from up-hill ground on the basis of a variation of the distance to said obstacle relative to the traveling distance of the vehicle causing said variation, said distinguishing means producing an obstacle detection signal when a difference between a magnitude of variation of the distance to said obstacle and said traveling distance of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value, and whereby said means for distinguishing the obstacle from up-hill ground avoids erroneous detection of the obstacle upon detection of the up-hill ground for higher reliability of obstacle detection.

10. An obstacle detection system for a vehicle comprising:

preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle, said preview sensor means including a first sensor positioned at a first elevation and a second sensor positioned at a second elevation lower than said first elevation, said first and second sensor s independently detecting obstacle for producing first and second obstacle distance signals indicative of respective distance to said obstacle; and

means for comparing said first and second obstacle distance signals for distinguishing the obstacle from an up-hill ground, said comparing means producing an obstacle detection signal when a difference between said first and second obstacle distance signals is less than a predetermined value.

11. A collision preventing system for a vehicle having a brake system, comprising:

first preview sensor means provided at a front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a distal detection zone, said first preview sensor means producing a first signal indicative of presence of said obstacle and distance between an obstacle and the front end of the vehicle;

second preview sensor means provided at the front end of said vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle in a proximal detection zone, said second preview sensor means producing a second signal indicative of at least presence of an obstacle;

vehicle speed sensor means for detecting vehicular traveling speed and generating a vehicle speed indicative signal;

control means connected to said first and second preview sensor means for receiving said first and second signals and to said vehicle speed sensor means for receiving said vehicle speed indicative signal, responsive to said first signal for deriving vehicular deceleration characteristics for stopping the vehicle without colliding on an obstacle on the basis of the distance between an obstacle and the front end of the vehicle and the vehicle speed indicated by said vehicle speed indicative signal, and responsive to said second signal for operating said brake system for instantaneous stopping of the vehicle; and

means for distinguishing an up-hill in front of the vehicle from the obstacle on the basis of difference to detected distance to an obstacle at different positions.

12. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said distinguishing means is incorporated in said first preview sensor means, comprising:

a preview sensor means for detecting obstacle in front of the vehicle, said preview sensor means producing said first signal indicative of a distance to a detected obstacle;

means for monitoring traveling distance of the vehicle; and

means for distinguishing an obstacle from up-hill ground on the basis of a variation of the distance to an obstacle relative to the vehicular traveling distance causing said variation, said distinguishing means producing an obstacle detection signal when a difference between a magnitude of variation of the distance to an obstacle and said vehicular traveling distance exceed a predetermined value, and whereby said means for distinguishing the obstacle from up-hill ground avoids erroneous generation of said first signal upon detection of the up-hill ground for higher reliability of obstacle detection.

13. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said distinguishing means is incorporated in said first preview sensor means, comprising:

preview sensor means provided at the front end of a vehicular body for detecting an obstacle in front of the vehicle, said preview sensor means including a first sensor positioned at a first higher elevation and a second sensor positioned at a second lower elevation, said first and second sensors independently detecting obstacles for producing first and second obstacle distance signals indicative of respective distance to said obstacle; and

means for comparing said first and second obstacle distance signals for distinguishing the obstacle from an up-hill ground, said comparing means producing an obstacle detection signal when a difference between said first and second obstacle distance signals is less than a predetermined value.

14. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 11, which further comprises a fourth touch sensor means projecting from the front end of said vehicular body for detecting obstacle contacting thereto and producing a contacting obstacle detection signal, and said control means is responsive to said contacting obstacle detection signal for operating said brake system for instant stop.

15. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said first distal detection zone of said first preview sensor means is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

16. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said first distal detection zone of said first preview sensor means has a narrower lateral width than the width of said vehicular body.

17. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said first preview sensor means employs a laser beam diffused over said first distal detection zone as a detecting medium.

18. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second proximal zone of said second preview sensor is elongated in lateral direction in the area near the front end of the vehicle.

19. A collision preventing system as set forth in claim 18, wherein said second preview sensor employs an ultrasonic wave spread over said second proximal detection zone as a detection medium.