Vehicle collision severity estimation system

• US 6,917,305 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: King, Anthony Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/065,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20040061598A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/937, 382/100, 382/104, 382/107, 382/154, 701/70, 701/214, 701/301, 701/41, 701/45, 367/99, 367/109, 348/148, 348/169
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01558 monitoring crash strength
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/02 Active or adaptive cruise control system; Distance control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0028 Mathematical models, e.g. for simulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/02 Ensuring safety in case of control system failures, e.g. by diagnosing, circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 cooperating with reflectors or transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A collision severity estimation system (10) for an automotive vehicle (12) is provided. The system (10) includes one or more object detection sensors (22) detecting an object and generating a first object detection signal. A controller (20) is electrically coupled to the object detection sensors (22) and determines motion properties of the object relative to the vehicle (12) and generates an object motion signal in response to the first object detection signal. The controller (20) determines potential collision severity between the vehicle (12) and the object in response to the object motion signal and generates a collision severity signal. Methods of determining motion properties of the object as well as determining potential collision severity between the vehicle (12) and the object are also provided.

Claims

1. A collision severity estimation system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

one or more object detection sensors detecting an object and generating at least one object detection signal; and

a controller electrically coupled to said one or more object detection sensors determining motion properties, comprising kinetic energy, of said object relative to the automotive vehicle and generating an object motion signal in response to said at least one object detection signal;

said controller determining depth of said object in response to said at least one object detection signal and generating a collision severity signal indicative of a potential collision between the automotive vehicle and the object in response to said object motion signal and said depth.

2. A system as in claim 1 wherein said controller comprises:

an object velocity estimator detemining velocity of said object relative to the automotive vehicle in response to said at least one object detection signal and generating a first object velocity signal;

an object visual parameter evaluator generating an object parameter signal in response to said first object detection signal;

an object classification module generating an object classification signal in response to said object parameter signal; and

a motion property estimator generating said object motion signal in response to said first object velocity signal and said object classification signal.

3. A system as in claim 2 wherein said controller in generating said object motion signal determines said kinetic energy or momentum of said object.

4. A system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a collision countermeasure electrically coupled to said controller; and

said controller activating said collision countermeasure in response to said collision severity signal.

5. A system as in claim 1 further comprising:

one or more active electro-magnetic wave-ranging devices detecting said object and generating a wave-ranging device object detection signal; and

said controller electrically coupled to said one or more active electro-magnetic wave-ranging devices generating said object motion signal in response to said at least one object detection signal and said wave-ranging device object detection signal.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein said controller in generating said collision severity signal determines height and width information of said object in response to said at least one object detection signal and determines said depth and velocity of said object in response to said wave-ranging device object detection signal.

7. A system as in claim 5 wherein said active electro-magnetic wave-ranging devices are integrally incorporated within at least one of the following:

a radar system, a lidar system, a monocular camera, or a stereo camera pair.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein at least one of said one or more object detection sensors is a camera.

9. A system as in claim 1 further comprising:

a velocity sensor electrically coupled to said controller and generating a host vehicle velocity signal; and

said controller generating said collision severity signal in response to said object motion signal and said host vehicle velocity signal.

10. A method of determining motion properties of an object from within an automotive vehicle comprising:

detecting the object via at least one camera and generating a first object detection signal;

detecting the object via at least one wave-ranging device and generating a second object detection signal;

determining velocity of the object relative to the automotive vehicle in response to said second object detection signal and generating a first object velocity signal;

determining a visual parameter of the object in response to said first object detection signal and generating an object parameter signal; and

determining motion properties, comprising kinetic energy, of the object in response to said first object velocity signal and said object parameter signal;

wherein determining motion properties of the object comprises;

classifying the object and generating a classification signal in response to said object parameter signal; and

estimating mass of the object in response to said classification signal.

11. A method as in claim 10 further comprising:

determining velocity of the object relative to the automotive vehicle in response to said first object detection signal and generating a second object velocity signal; and

determining motion properties of the object in response to said second object velocity signal and said object parameter signal.

12. A method as in claim 10 wherein determining a visual parameter of the object is in response to said first object detection signal and said second object detection signal.

13. A method as in claim 10 wherein said visual parameter is at least one of an object height, an object width, an object depth, and a surface shape or characteristic of said object.

14. A method as in claim 10 further comprising:

estimating area of said object and generating an area signal in response to said object parameter signal;

estimating said mass and generating an object mass signal in response to said area signal; and

determining motion properties of said object in response to said object velocity signal and said object mass signal.

15. A method as in claim 10 further comprising:

estimating volume of said object and generating a volume signal in response to object parameter signal;

estimating mass of said object and generating an object mass signal in response to said volume signal; and

determining motion properties of said object in response to said object velocity signal and said object mass signal.

16. A method as in claim 10 wherein determining a visual parameter is performed via only said at least one camera and wherein determining velocity of the object is performed via only said at least one wave-ranging device.

17. A method of performing a collision countermeasure within an automotive vehicle comprising:

determining motion properties of the automotive vehicle and generating a vehicle motion signal;

detecting an object and generating an object detection signal;

determining velocity of said object in response to said object detection signal and generating an object velocity signal;

determining at least one visual parameter comprising object depth of said object and generating an object parameter signal;

determining mass of said object in response to said object parameter signal;

determining potential collision severity of the automotive vehicle and said object in response to said vehicle motion signal, said object velocity signal, said object parameter signal, and said mass and generating a collision severity signal; and

performing a collision countermeasure in response to said collision severity signal.

18. A method as in claim 17 wherein determining potential collision severity comprises:

classifying said object in response to said object parameter signal and generating a classification signal; and

determining motion properties of said object in response to said classification signal.

19. A method as in claim 17 wherein determining potential collision severity of the automotive vehicle and said object comprises multiplying the difference in a motion property of the automotive vehicle and a motion property of said object by a class severity rating.

20. A method as in claim 17 wherein performing a collision countermeasure comprises performing a passive or active countermeasure.