Integrated radar and active transponder collision prediction system

• US 6,420,996 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2001
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Drummond, J. B. Jr., Schondorf, Steven Yellin, Gaboury, Scott Howard, Stopczynski, Lawrence Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/682,224
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/42, 342/44, 342/51, 342/82, 342/83, 342/84, 342/85, 342/86, 342/87, 342/90, 342/107, 342/109, 342/113-115, 342/125, 342/133, 342/139, 342/146, 342/147, 342/157, 342/158, 701/301, 701/45, 701/96, 340/435, 340/436
• US Class Current: 342/70
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/765 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders

Abstract

A method and apparatus for permitting a host automotive vehicle to avoid or mitigate the consequences of a collision between the host vehicle and a target automotive vehicle by using a combination of radar derived target information and transponder information. The host vehicle is equipped with a radar system operative detect the target vehicle and generate target data, and a computer which determines a likelihood of collision with target vehicle. If the likelihood of collision is above a certain level, the computer directs the radar system to transmit a directional interrogation system toward the target vehicle. The target vehicle is equipped with one or more transponders that receive the interrogation signal and respond by transmitting a response signal containing information indicating various dynamic and/or static characteristics of the target vehicle. The response signal is received by the host vehicle and is decoded to extract the target vehicle information. The computer then uses the transponder-derived target information along with the radar-derived target information to accurately determine the nature of the impending collision and direct appropriate changes in performance of one or more systems of the host vehicle in order to avoid or mitigate the consequences of the collision.

Claims

1. A system for avoiding or mitigating a collision between a host automotive vehicle and a target automotive vehicle, the system comprising:

a radar system mountable on the host vehicle and operative to scan a sector of the target vehicle'"'"'s environment, detect the target vehicle, and generate target information describing the target vehicle;

a computer operative to determine a probability of collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle based upon the target information received from the radar system, and to cause the radar system to transmit a directional interrogation signal toward the target vehicle if the probability of collision is sufficiently high; and

at least one transponder mountable on the target vehicle and operative to receive the interrogation signal and transmit a response signal containing information indicating dynamic and/or static characteristics of the target vehicle, the computer further operative to receive the information from the response signal and utilize the information to determine an appropriate change in performance of at least one system of the host vehicle in order to avoid or mitigate the consequences of the collision.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the radar system comprises an electronically scanned antenna.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one transponder comprises a first transponder operative to transmit a first response signal and a second transponder operative to transmit a second response signal, and the computer is able to distinguish between the first and second response signals and thereby determine an orientation of the threat vehicle relative to the host vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the computer determines the orientation by comparing at least one of the following characteristics of the first and second response signals:

time of arrival, angle of arrival, phase shift.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information contained in the response signal indicates a relative bearing of the host vehicle with respect to the target vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the response signal comprises a reference phase signal radiating in all directions from the target vehicle and a variable phase signal rotating through 360 degrees, whereby the reference phase signal and the variable phase signal are in phase when the variable phase signal passes a reference bearing of the target vehicle, and the reference phase signal and the variable phase signal are out of phase by an amount equal to an angle between the variable phase signal and the reference bearing.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the radar system comprises at least two antennas mountable at different positions on the host vehicle, whereby differences in the response signal as received at the two antennas allow the computer to determine an orientation of the threat vehicle relative to the host vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the information contained in the response signal indicates at least one physical dimension of the target vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein the change in performance of at least one system comprises a change in a height of a bumper of the host vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer determines a dynamic state of the target vehicle by combining the target information from the radar with the information contained in the response signal.

11. The system according to claim 1 wherein the computer is further operative to generate a warning signal which is transmitted to the target vehicle if the probability of collision is sufficiently high, and further comprising a warning receiver mountable on the target vehicle to receive the warning signal.

12. A system for avoiding or mitigating a collision between a host automotive vehicle and a target automotive vehicle, the system including a radar device mountable on the host vehicle and operative to detect the target vehicle, and a computer operative to determine a probability of collision between the host vehicle and the target vehicle, the system characterized in that:

the computer is further operative to

a. cause the transmitter to transmit a directional interrogation signal toward the target vehicle if the probability of collision is sufficiently high;

b. extract information from a response signal transmitted by at least one transponder carried by the target vehicle in response to the interrogation signal, the response signal information indicating dynamic and/or static characteristics of the target vehicle; and

c. based at least in part upon the response signal information, command at least one system of the host vehicle to alter its performance in order to avoid or mitigate the consequences of the collision.

13. A method of mitigating a collision between a host automotive vehicle equipped with a radar device and a target automotive vehicle equipped with a transponder, the method comprising:

operating the radar device to detect the target vehicle and generate target track information;

based upon the target track information, determining that the target vehicle is a potential threat to collide with the host vehicle;

transmitting a directional interrogation signal from the host vehicle toward the target vehicle;

transmitting a response signal from the transponder in response to receipt of the interrogation signal, the response signal containing information indicating at least one of the following;

a dynamic state of the target vehicle and a physical characteristic of the target vehicle;

receiving the response signal on board the host vehicle and extracting the information therefrom; and

based at least in part upon the information contained in the response signal, altering performance of at least one system of the host vehicle in order to avoid or mitigate the consequences of the collision.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the interrogation signal is transmitted by the radar device.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the interrogation signal is transmitted by an electronically scanned antenna.

16. The method according to claim 13 wherein a suspension height of the host vehicle is altered.

17. The method according to claim 13 wherein the target information from the radar is combined with the information contained in the response signal to determine a dynamic state of the target vehicle.