GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method

• US 6,487,500 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson, Robert D. Pedersen
• Original Assignee: Jerome H. Lemelson, Robert D. Pedersen
• Inventors: Lemelson, Jerome H., Pedersen, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/923,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20020022927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 481 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/27, 701/200, 701/213, 701/214, 701/93, 701/98, 701/300, 701/301, 340/903, 340/905, 340/435, 340/436, 342/29, 342/41, 342/454, 342/455, 180/167-170
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/082 using alarm actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/085 using several actuators; Coordination of the lane keeping system with other control systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/11 wherein the cooperating elements are pseudolites or satellite radio beacon positioning system signal repeaters
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• 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 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/009 : Transmission of differential positioning data to mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 : Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 : Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 : Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

GPS satellite (4) ranging signals (6) received (32) on comm1, and DGPS auxiliary range correction signals and pseudolite carrier phase ambiguity resolution signals (8) from a fixed known earth base station (10) received (34) on comm2, at one of a plurality of vehicles/aircraft/automobiles (2) are computer processed (36) to continuously determine the one'"'"'s kinematic tracking position on a pathway (14) with centimeter accuracy. That GPS-based position is communicated with selected other status information to each other one of the plurality of vehicles (2), to the one station (10), and/or to one of a plurality of control centers (16), and the one vehicle receives therefrom each of the others'"'"' status information and kinematic tracking position. Objects (22) are detected from all directions (300) by multiple supplemental mechanisms, e.g., video (54), radar/lidar (56), laser and optical scanners. Data and information are computer processed and analyzed (50,52,200,452) in neural networks (132, FIGS. 6-8) in the one vehicle to identify, rank, and evaluate collision hazards/objects, an expert operating response to which is determined in a fuzzy logic associative memory (484) which generates control signals which actuate a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner to maneuver it laterally and longitudinally to avoid each collision hazard, or, for motor vehicles, when a collision is unavoidable, to minimize injury or damage therefrom. The operator is warned by a heads up display and other modes and may override. An automotive auto-pilot mode is provided.

Claims

1. A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the acts of:

receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one vehicle'"'"'s position on a surface;

receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface DGPS auxiliary range signals, including correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one vehicle'"'"'s position on the surface;

determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one vehicle'"'"'s kinematic tracking position on the surface with centimeter accuracy,

providing information descriptive of particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle derived from conventional image analysis systems carried on the one vehicle;

communicating the one vehicle'"'"'s status information including the information descriptive of particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle and the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers;

analyzing the information descriptive of the particular hazards and objects and analyzing the kinematic tracking positions and the status information to identify and evaluate the particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle;

determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one vehicle'"'"'s expert driving response relative to the particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle;

generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner;

intelligibly indicating a warning of the particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle; and

coordinating actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operated the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time to avoid contact with the particular hazards and objects in the pathway.

2. The method of claim 1 where the pseudolite signals include carrier phase signals and the further measurements include ambiguity resolution measurements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication link is a GPS receiver and the second communication link is a GPS transceiver each operating on separate predetermined frequencies.

4. The method of claim 1 including a third satellite communication link for auxiliary control information.

5. The method of claim 1 including pathway scanning technology providing e information descriptive of particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the pathway scanning technology comprises television technology.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing act includes:

analyzing the one vehicle'"'"'s attitude; and

wherein the act of determining the one vehicle'"'"'s expert response further comprises the act of;

attitude compensating the expert response.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating act further comprises the act of:

communicating on the second communication link.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the communicating act further comprises the act of:

communicating on a third control communication link via a separate control transceiver in the one vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the kinematic tracking position information includes position, velocity and acceleration Vectors.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said GPS ranging signals;

said DGPS auxiliary range signals, including said correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one vehicle'"'"'s position; and

said information descriptive of particular hazards and objects in the pathway of the one vehicle and the kinematic tracking position of the one vehicle are received from another one or each other one of the plurality of vehicles, the one station, one of the control centers or a communications satellite.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating act further comprises the act of:

communicating using a speech synthesizer computer which recognizes the voice of the one vehicle'"'"'s operator.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the act of:

displaying on a heads up display in the one vehicle a response to the one operator'"'"'s speech received in the one vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the acts of:

detecting multiple particular hazards and objects in the pathway relative to the vehicle;

wherein the analyzing act includes analyzing all particular hazards and objects and ranking all potential hazards and objects for determining the most effective avoidance strategy; and

wherein the act of determining the one'"'"'s expert response further comprises the act of;

determining with the fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms one vehicle'"'"'s expert response relative to each hazard and object.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the detecting act includes:

detecting the hazards and objects by scanning with one or more television cameras supported on the one vehicle; and

wherein the analyzing act includes;

processing and analyzing digital signals indicative of video images detected by the one or more television cameras.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the detecting act includes:

detecting the hazards and objects by scanning with one or more radar-based ranging mechanisms supported on the one vehicle;

wherein the analyzing act includes;

processing and analyzing digital signals indicative of the bearing, distance, and elevation to the hazards and objects detected by the radar-based ranging mechanisms.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the detecting act further comprises:

detecting the hazards and objects on or about the pathway in the vicinity of the one vehicle by scanning a motion sensing device embedded in the pathway and transmitting to the one vehicle signals indicative of the bearing, distance and elevation of the detected hazards and objects relative to a reference.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the hazards and objects include fixed or moving, or known or unknown obstacles.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the communicating act includes:

communicating the one vehicle'"'"'s status information describing selected ones of the detected hazards and objects, and

the receiving act includes;

receiving the others'"'"' status information describing selected ones of the others'"'"' detected hazards and objects.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing act further comprises:

analyzing inputs from the one vehicle'"'"'s input describing characteristics of the operator of the one vehicle.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing act further comprises the act of:

calculating a collision vector for each hazard and object in the pathway of the one vehicle.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining the one vehicle'"'"'s expert response includes:

determining a hazard and object avoidance maneuver.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of intelligibly indicating a warning further comprises the act of:

warning the operator of the one vehicle'"'"'s expert response, and

wherein the coordinately actuating act further comprises coordinately actuating the control systems only with an imminent collision.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning act further comprises the act of:

visually indicating the existence of a hazard or object in the pathway of the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the act of visually indicating the existence of a hazard or object in the pathway of the vehicle further comprises the act of:

displaying a visually perceptible symbol in the one vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the act of visually indicating further comprises the act of:

displaying the relative position and motion between the one vehicle and a hazard and object in the pathway of the one vehicle.

27. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning indicating act further comprises the act of:

repeatedly actuating a horn system or a warning light system.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning indicating act further comprises the act of:

generating sounds of select speech of warning of hazard or object in the pathway of the vehicle.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the generating sounds of select speech act further comprises the act of:

recommending the one vehicle'"'"'s expert response.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein recommending the one vehicle'"'"'s expert response act further comprises the act of:

synthetically generating warning words of speech depending on the kind of expert response necessary to avoid the hazard or object.

31. The method of claim 2 wherein the coordinately activating step further comprises the act of:

operating one or more of the following systems depending on the kind of expert response determined by the fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms;

acceleration, steering and communication system.

32. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of:

repeatedly repeating the communicating act.

33. A GPS-based vehicle proximate detection method comprising the acts of:

receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for determining the one vehicle'"'"'s position relative to a surface;

receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface DGPS auxiliary range correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one vehicle'"'"'s position relative to surface;

determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one'"'"'s kinematic tracking position relative to the surface with centimeter accuracy;

determining the one vehicle'"'"'s attitude relative to a predetermined direction over the surface using multiple antennae supported on the extremities of the one vehicle coupled to the GPS receiver and phase comparing the GPS signals simultaneously received at the antennae;

communicating the one vehicle'"'"'s status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others'"'"' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others'"'"' kinematic tracking position;

analyzing in a neural network the one vehicle'"'"'s attitude, and the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate proximity of each other one of the plurality of vehicles relative to the one vehicle;

determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one vehicle'"'"'s attitude compensated expert response relative to each other vehicle;

generating expert response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner; and

coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time relative to the proximate position of the other vehicles.