Multi-sensor integration for a vehicle

• US 7,102,496 B1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Ernst, Jr., Raymond P., Wilson, Terry B.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/208,280
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/435, 340/438, 340/439, 340/425.5, 340/903, 340/905, 340/521, 340/928, 180/167, 180/169, 367/903, 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A sensor system for use in a vehicle that integrates sensor data from more than one sensor in an effort to facilitate collision avoidance and other types of sensor-related processing. The system include external sensors for capturing sensor data external to the vehicle. External sensors can include sensors of a wide variety of different sensor types, including radar, image processing, ultrasonic, infrared, and other sensor types. Each external sensor can be configured to focus on a particular sensor zone external to the vehicle. Each external sensor can also be configured to focus primarily on particular types of potential obstacles and obstructions based on the particular characteristics of the sensor zone and sensor type. All sensor data can be integrated in a comprehensive manner by a threat assessment subsystem within the sensor system. The system is not limited to sensor data from external sensors. Internal sensors can be used to capture internal sensor data, such a vehicle characteristics, user attributes, and other types of interior information. Moreover, the sensor system can also include an information sharing subsystem of exchanging information with other vehicle sensor systems or for exchanging information with non-vehicle systems such as a non-movable highway sensor system configured to transmit and receive information relating to traffic, weather, construction, and other conditions. The sensor system can potentially integrate data from all different sources in a comprehensive and integrated manner. The system can integrate information by assigning particular weights to particular determinations by particular sensors.

Claims

1. A sensor system for a vehicle, comprising:

an external sensor subsystem providing for the capture of external sensor data, wherein said external sensor subsystem includes a plurality of sensors providing for the capture of a plurality of sensor data from a plurality of sensor zones;

an internal sensor subsystem providing for the capture of internal sensor data, wherein said internal sensor data includes at least one of a user-based attribute and a vehicle-based attribute;

an information sharing subsystem providing for the exchange of shared sensor data; and

an analysis subsystem providing for the generating of a threat assessment from the external sensor data, weighted shared sensor data, and at least one of the user-based attribute and the vehicle-based attribute.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors include a plurality of sensor types.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein no sensor in said plurality of sensors is of the same sensor type.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein no two sensors in said plurality of sensors capture sensor data from the same said sensor zone.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors in said external sensor subsystem comprise:

a forward sensor component for capturing sensor data in a forward sensor zone;

a side sensor component for capturing sensor data in a side sensor zone; and

a rear sensor component for capturing sensor data in a rear sensor zone.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said forward sensor component includes a long range sensor, a mid-range sensor, and a short-range sensor.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said side sensor component includes a lane change and merge detection sensor.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said rear sensor component includes a near object detection sensor and a rear impact collision warning sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-based attribute is a selection-based attribute.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-based attribute is a history-based attribute.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said user-based attribute is a condition-based attribute.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said internal sensor data is captured with an identification technology.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said identification technology is a smart card.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of the shared sensor data from a target vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said information sharing subsystem provides for the sending of data to the target vehicle.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of the shared sensor data from an infrastructure sensor.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said information sharing subsystem provides for the sending of data to said infrastructure sensor.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of shared sensor data from a target vehicle.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of the shared sensor data from information sources or systems external to the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information sources or systems include a cell network.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the information sources or systems include an internet connection.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the information sources or systems include a dedicated short range communication transmitter.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors are connected by a network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said network includes a sensor management object for integrating the sensor data from said plurality of sensors.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

26. A sensor system for a vehicle, comprising:

an external sensor subsystem providing for the capture of external sensor data, wherein said external sensor subsystem includes a plurality of sensors providing for the capture of a plurality of sensor data from a plurality of sensor zones;

an internal sensor subsystem providing for the capture of internal sensor data, wherein said internal sensor data includes user-based attributes and vehicle-based attributes;

an information sharing subsystem providing for the exchange of shared sensor data, wherein said shared sensor data includes foreign sensor data and infrastructure sensor data; and

an analysis subsystem providing for the generating of a threat assessment from the external sensor data, user-based attributes, vehicle-based attributes, and weighted shared sensor data.

27. A method of configuring a sensor system for an automobile, comprising the steps of:

installing a plurality of sensors capable of capturing a plurality of sensor data from a plurality of sensor zones, wherein at least one sensor is not an external sensor;

identifying potential overlap between the sensor data captured by the plurality of sensors; and

creating a weighted sensor data value for each potentially overlapping sensor data.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of selecting at least one information sharing sensor located external to the automobile.

29. A sensor system for a vehicle, comprising:

an external sensor subsystem providing for the capture of external sensor data, wherein said external sensor subsystem includes a plurality of sensors providing for the capture of a plurality of sensor data from a plurality of sensor zones; and

an analysis subsystem providing for the generating of a threat assessment, the generating of the threat assessment including identifying potential overlap between the sensor data captured by the plurality of sensors and creating a weighted sensor data value for each potentially overlapping sensor data.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said plurality of sensors include a plurality of sensor types.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said plurality of sensors in said external sensor subsystem comprise:

a forward sensor component for capturing sensor data in a forward sensor zone;

a side sensor component for capturing sensor data in a side sensor zone; and

a rear sensor component for capturing sensor data in a rear sensor zone.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said forward sensor component includes a long range sensor, a mid-range sensor, and a short-range sensor.

33. The system of claim 29, further comprising an internal sensor subsystem providing for the capture of internal sensor data, wherein said threat assessment subsystem integrates said internal sensor data into said threat assessment.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said internal sensor data includes a vehicles-based attribute.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said internal sensor data includes a user-based attribute.

36. The system of claim 29, further comprising an information sharing subsystem providing for the receiving of shared sensor data.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of shared sensor data from a target vehicle.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said information sharing subsystem provides for the sending of data to the target vehicle.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of shared sensor data from an infrastructure sensor.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein said information sharing subsystem provides for the sending of data to said infrastructure sensor.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of shared sensor data from a target vehicle.

42. The system of claim 36, wherein the information sharing subsystem provides for the receiving of shared sensor data from information sources or systems external to the vehicle.

43. The system of claim 29, wherein said plurality of sensors are connected by a network.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said network includes a sensor management object for integrating the sensor data from said plurality of sensors.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein said sensors are selectably added to said network in a plug and play fashion.

46. The system of claim 29, wherein said sensors are selectibly added to said network in a plug and play fashion.