Method for preventing collisions involving motor vehicles

• US 7,102,495 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Doden, Berend-Wilhelm, Wagner, Jochen, Moritz, Rainer, Mattes, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/474,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,662 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 340/451, 340/452, 340/453, 340/467, 340/466, 180/167, 180/169, 180/170, 180/276, 701/301, 303/132, 303/160, 303/166
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/12 Pre-actuation of braking systems without significant braking effect; Optimizing brake performance by reduction of play between brake pads and brake disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle

Abstract

A collision prevention method for motor vehicles is provided, in which method obstacles in front of the vehicle are detected by an on-board positioning system, a collision probability is calculated from the position data, and one or more responses to prevent a collision are triggered as a function of the collision probability. At least one of the responses is a preparatory measure accelerating the implementation of a command, which may be output later, to decelerate the vehicle, without the preparatory measure itself having any significant decelerating effect on the vehicle.

Claims

1. A collision-prevention method for a motor vehicle having a control system, a drive system and a brake system, comprising:

detecting an obstacle in front of the motor vehicle by an on-board position detecting system;

calculating a collision probability from position data of the detected obstacle; and

triggering, as a function of the collision probability, at least one response configured to prevent a collision, the at least one response including at least one preparatory measure configured to accelerate an implementation of a command to decelerate the motor vehicle in case the command is actually output, wherein said preparatory measure is an output of a command for priming the brake system of the vehicle, which causes a pressure buildup to take place in a component of the brake system such that a brake shoe is made to approach or touch at least one of a brake disk and a brake drum but does not have any significant decelerating effect on the vehicle;

wherein, when the collision probability is substantially minimal, the control system implements at least one of an intervention in the drive system and an intervention in the brake system as part of a cruise control function having a hysteresis characteristic, and wherein the preparatory measure includes a reduction of a hysteresis interval when the collision probability is increasing.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle further includes an automatic transmission, and wherein a plurality of preparatory measures are provided, one of the preparatory measures being a transmission intervention to downshift a gear.