Method and device for warning the driver of a motor vehicle

• US 7,363,155 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Meister, Dirk, Wilhelm, Ulf, Haffmans, Paco, Ahlrichs, Ulrike
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/577,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20070282530A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/117, 701/118, 701/300, 701/301, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/18 Safety devices; Monitoring
• 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 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and a device for warning the driver of a motor vehicle about a traffic situation involving an increased collision risk are provided. For this purpose, signals of at least one object detector representing motion quantities of detected objects and signals of at least one motion sensor system of the host vehicle are suppliable to an analyzer device. The computing device precalculates all possible motion trajectories for all detected objects and for the host vehicle, taking into account maximum acceleration or deceleration values and maximum change in acceleration or deceleration values over time and, when an imminent collision is recognized, issues a warning to the driver that higher acceleration or deceleration values and/or change in acceleration or deceleration values are needed to avoid a collision.

Claims

1. A method for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a traffic situation involving an increased collision risk, comprising:

supplying signals from at least one object detector to an analyzer device, wherein the signals represent motion quantities of at least one detected object;

supplying signals from at least one motion sensor system to the analyzer device, wherein the signals represent motion quantities of the motor vehicle;

calculating by the analyzer device all possible motion trajectories for each detected object and for the motor vehicle, taking into account;

a) one of maximum acceleration value and maximum deceleration value; and

b) one of maximum change in acceleration value over time and maximum change in deceleration value over time; and

issuing a warning to the driver, when an imminent collision is recognized based on the calculating by the analyzer device, wherein the warning includes an indication that at least one of the following is needed to avoid a collision;

a) higher acceleration value;

b) higher deceleration value;

c) a higher change in acceleration value over time; and

d) a higher change in deceleration value over time.

2. The method as, recited in claim 1, wherein the maximum acceleration value, the maximum deceleration value, the maximum change in acceleration value over time, and the maximum change in deceleration value over time have magnitudes that are comfortable for the driver.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein for each of longitudinal vehicle acceleration, longitudinal vehicle deceleration, and transverse vehicle acceleration, different maximum values and different maximum change values over time are provided.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

a) one of the maximum acceleration value and the maximum deceleration value; and

b) one of the maximum change in acceleration value over time and the maximum change in deceleration value over time, are variable dependent on an instantaneous velocity of the vehicle.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein:

a) one of the maximum acceleration value and the maximum deceleration value; and

b) one of the maximum change in acceleration value over time and the maximum change in deceleration value over time, are variable dependent on a traffic situation represented by the signals from the at least one object detector.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein, when an imminent collision is recognized, in addition to issuing the warning to the driver, an automatic intervention in at least one vehicle drive systems, vehicle deceleration systems and vehicle steering systems is triggered.

7. A system for warning a driver of a motor vehicle of a traffic situation involving an increased collision risk, comprising:

at least one object detector for supplying signals representing motion quantities of at least one detected object;

at least one motion sensor system for supplying signals representing motion quantities of the motor vehicle;

an analyzer device operatively coupled to the at least one object detector and the at least one motion sensor system for receiving signals from the at least one object detector and the at least one motion sensor system to calculate all possible motion trajectories for each detected object and for the motor vehicle, taking into account;

a) one of maximum acceleration value and maximum deceleration value; and

b) one of maximum change in acceleration value over time and maximum change in deceleration value over time; and

a driver warning device operatively coupled to the analyzer device for issuing a warning to the driver when an imminent collision is recognized based on the calculating by the analyzer device, wherein the warning includes an indication that at least one of the following is needed to avoid a collision;

a) higher acceleration value;

b) higher deceleration value;

c) a higher change in acceleration value over time; and

d) a higher change in deceleration value over time.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one object detector is one of a radar sensor, a laser sensor, an ultrasound sensor, a video sensor, and a combination thereof.

9. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one motion sensor system is at least one of a velocity sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a yaw rate sensor.