Warning device for an automobile

• US 6,433,679 B1
• Filed: 07/13/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Schmid, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/554,940
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/463, 340/464, 340/468, 340/469, 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/904, 701/96, 701/300, 180/167, 180/169, 180/197, 180/275
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound

Abstract

A warning device for monitoring a distance of a vehicle from an obstacle is described. The warning device includes at least one sensor for detecting an obstacle, an analyzing and controlling device for estimating a distance of the vehicle from the obstacle on the basis of an output signal of the at least one sensor, and at least one warning signal element controlled by the analyzing and controlling device to generate a near range warning signal when a distance estimated by the analyzing and controlling device is smaller than a limit value. The analyzing and controlling device includes a device for estimating a risk of collision of the vehicle with the obstacle on the basis of the estimated distance and a speed of the vehicle. The analyzing and controlling device controls the at least one warning signal element to output a far range warning signal when the estimated distance is greater than the limit value and the estimate indicates a risk of collision.

Claims

1. A warning device for monitoring a distance of a vehicle from an obstacle, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting an obstacle;

an analyzing and controlling device for estimating a distance of the vehicle from the obstacle as a function of an output signal of the at least one sensor, the analyzing and controlling device including a device for estimating a risk of collision of the vehicle with the obstacle as a function of the estimated distance and a speed of the vehicle; and

at least one warning signal element controlled by the analyzing and controlling device, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a near range warning signal when the estimated distance is less than a limit value, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a far range warning signal when the estimated distance is greater than the limit value and the estimated risk indicates that there is a risk of collision;

wherein the limit value is between a near range and a far range, and the limit value depends on a vehicle type.

2. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein:

the limit value is between 1 meter and 1.5 meters.

3. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein:

the near range warning signal is an intermittent signal, at least one of a period and a pulse duty factor of the intermittent signal indicating the estimated distance.

4. The warning device according to claim 3, wherein:

the near range warning signal and the far range warning signal are acoustic signals differing in tone level.

5. The warning device according to claim 3, wherein the near range warning signal is an acoustic signal and the far range warning signal is a visual signal, the visual signal differing in at least one of color and intensity as a function of the estimated risk.

6. The warning device according to claim 3, wherein the near range warning signal is a visual signal and the far range warning signal is an acoustic signal, and the acoustic signal differing in at least one of tone and volume as a function of the estimated risk.

7. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein:

the far range warning signal is an intermittent signal, at least one of a period and a pulse duty factor of the intermittent signal indicating the estimated risk of collision.

8. The warning device according to claim 7, wherein the near range warning signal is an acoustic signal and the far range warning signal is a visual signal, and the visual signal differing in at least one of color and intensity as a function of the estimated risk.

9. The warning device according to claim 7, wherein the near range warning signal is a visual signal and the far range warning signal is an acoustic signal, and the acoustic signal differing in at least one of tone and volume as a function of the estimated risk.

10. The warning device according to claim 7, wherein the near range warning signal and the far range warning signal are acoustic signals differing in tone.

11. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein:

the analyzing and controlling device controls the at least one warning signal element to output the far range warning signal when an obstacle is at a distance less than the limit value and the estimated risk indicates that there is a risk of collision at the time the obstacle appears.

12. The warning device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switch for blocking output of the near range warning signal, the analyzing and controlling device being equipped to cancel the blocked output of the near warning signal as soon as the estimated distance is greater than the limit value.

13. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensor includes at least one sensor of a first type and at least one sensor of a second type, the first type having a broad horizontal detection characteristic for estimating distances less than the limit value, the second type having a narrow horizontal detection characteristic for estimating distances greater than the limit value.

14. The warning device according to claim 13, wherein:

the at least one sensor of the first type is an ultrasonic sensor.

15. The warning device according to claim 13, wherein:

the at least one sensor of the second type is one of an ultrasonic sensor, a lidar sensor, and a radar sensor.

16. The warning device according to claim 1, wherein the estimated risk is based on a comparison of a threshold value and an estimated time to reach the obstacle.

17. The warning device according to claim 16, wherein the estimated time is based on the speed and the estimated distance.

18. The warning device according to claim 16, wherein the threshold value is at least 1.5 seconds.

19. The warning device according to claim 16, wherein the threshold value is between about 1.5 and 2 seconds.

20. The warning device according to claim 16, wherein there is a collision risk when the estimated time is less than the threshold value.

21. The warning device according to claim 20, wherein the threshold value is at least 1.5 seconds.

22. The warning device according to claim 20, wherein the threshold value is between about 1.5 and 2 seconds.

23. A warning device for monitoring a distance of a vehicle from an obstacle, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting an obstacle;

an analyzing and controlling device for estimating a distance of the vehicle from the obstacle as a function of an output signal of the at least one sensor, the analyzing and controlling device including a device for estimating a risk of collision of the vehicle with the obstacle as a function of the estimated distance and a speed of the vehicle; and

at least one warning signal element controlled by the analyzing and controlling device, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a near range warning signal when the estimated distance is less than a limit value, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a far range warning signal when the estimated distance is greater than the limit value and the estimated risk indicates that there is a risk of collision;

wherein;

the near range warning signal is an intermittent signal, at least one of a period and a pulse duty factor of the intermittent signal indicating the estimated distance; and

the near range warning signal and the far range warning signal are visual signals differing in color.

24. The warning device according to claim 23, wherein the limit value is between a near range and a far range, and the limit value depends on a vehicle type.

25. A warning device for monitoring a distance of a vehicle from an obstacle, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting an obstacle;

an analyzing and controlling device for estimating a distance of the vehicle from the obstacle as a function of an output signal of the at least one sensor, the analyzing and controlling device including a device for estimating a risk of collision of the vehicle with the obstacle as a function of the estimated distance and a speed of the vehicle;

at least one warning signal element controlled by the analyzing and controlling device, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a near range warning signal when the estimated distance is less than a limit value, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a far range warning signal when the estimated distance is greater than the limit value and the estimated risk indicates that there is a risk of collision; and

a plurality of similar warning signal elements distributed in the vehicle and operated as a function of a direction of an obstacle, the plurality of similar warning signal elements indicating the direction of the obstacle to a driver, the direction of the obstacle being detected by the warning device.

26. A warning device for monitoring a distance of a vehicle from an obstacle, comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting an obstacle;

analyzing and controlling device for estimating a distance of the vehicle from the obstacle as a function of an output signal of the at least one sensor, the analyzing and controlling device including a device for estimating a risk of collision of the vehicle with the obstacle as a function of the estimated distance and a speed of the vehicle; and

at least one warning signal element controlled by the analyzing and controlling device, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a near range warning signal when the estimated distance is less than a limit value, the analyzing and controlling device controlling the at least one warning signal element to output a far range warning signal when the estimated distance is greater than the limit value and the estimated risk indicates that there is a risk of collision;

wherein;

the far range warning signal is an intermittent signal, at least one of a period and a pulse duty factor of the intermittent signal indicating the estimated risk of collision; and

the near range warning signal and the far range warning signal are visual signals differing in color.