Method and apparatus for impact crash mitigation

• US 6,452,535 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rao, Manoharprasad K., Strumolo, Gary Steven, Miller, Ronald Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US09/683,637
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 342/27, 342/28, 342/29, 342/30, 342/31, 342/32, 342/36-59, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/175, 342/195, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302, 340/436, 340/901, 340/902-905, 340/933, 340/961, 356/3, 356/4.01, 356/27, 356/28, 356/28.5
• US Class Current: 342/72
• 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 2013/9318 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: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93275 in the bumper area
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders

Abstract

A pre-crash sensing system is provided for sensing an impact of a target vehicle (46) with a host vehicle (12). The target vehicle (46) has side transponders that generate side identification signals. The host vehicle (12) has a remote object sensor (20) that generates an object distance signal in response to the target vehicle. A countermeasure system (42) resides in the host vehicle (12). A controller (14) in the host vehicle is coupled to the remote object sensor (20) and the countermeasure system (42). The controller (14) activates the countermeasure in response to the object distance signal and side identification signal.

Claims

1. A pre-crash sensing system for sensing a collision with a target vehicle having a side transponder generating an identification signal comprising:

a remote object sensor generating an object distance signal;

a countermeasure system;

a controller coupled to said remote object sensor and said countermeasure for activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance signal and said identification signal.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a radar sensor system.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a vision sensor system.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a lidar sensor system.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said remote object sensor generates an object relative velocity signal;

said controller activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance, said object relative velocity and said side identification signal.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a yaw sensor generating a yaw rate signal and a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

said controller activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance, said yaw rate, said vehicle speed, and said side identification signal.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein activating the countermeasure comprises deploying airbags or changing a bumper height by activating a suspension height adjustment means.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said identification signal comprises a side identification signal.

9. A pre-crash sensing system comprising:

a target vehicle having a side transponder generating an identification signal; and

a host vehicle comprising;

a remote object sensor generating an object distance signal in response to said target vehicle;

a countermeasure system having a counter measure; and

a controller coupled to said remote object sensor and counter measure system,

said controller activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance and said identification signal.

10. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a radar sensor system.

11. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a vision sensor system.

12. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said remote object sensor comprises a lidar sensor system.

13. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein said remote object sensor generates an object relative velocity signal;

said controller activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance, said object relative velocity and said identification signal.

14. A system as recited in claim 9 further comprising a yaw sensor generating a yaw rate signal and a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

said controller activating said countermeasure in response to said object distance, said yaw rate, said vehicle speed, and said side identification signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 9 wherein activating the countermeasure comprises deploying airbags or changing a bumper height by activating a suspension height adjustment means.

16. A method for operating a pre-crash sensing system for a host vehicle when approaching a target vehicle generating an identification signal comprising:

detecting an object in front of the host vehicle;

determining an object distance;

receiving the side identification signal from the target vehicle; and

activating the countermeasure system in response to the object distance and identification signal.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising determining object relative velocity;

wherein activating the countermeasure system comprises activating the countermeasure system in response to the object distance, the object relative velocity and identification signal.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein detecting an object comprises detecting the object with a radar.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising generating a yaw rate signal from a yaw sensor and a vehicle speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

wherein activating the countermeasure system comprises activating the countermeasure system in response to the object distance, the yaw rate signal, the vehicle speed signal and identification signal.

20. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the target vehicle generates a side identification signal and activating the countermeasure system comprises activating the countermeasure system in response to the object distance and the side identification signal.