Vehicle proximity alerting system and method

• US 7,365,641 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Autonet Co Ltd (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Autonet Co Ltd (Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nou, Seong Taeg
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US11/162,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20060164222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340435-436, 340/903, 340/932.2, 340/438, 701 45- 49, 701300-302, 342/70, 348143-148
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A vehicle proximity alerting system and method is provided. The system includes: a sensor unit having a plurality of sensors for measuring distances from other vehicles; a system controlling unit for receiving measurement signals from the sensors, calculating distances from other vehicles, determining whether or not the calculated distance is less than a preset vehicle proximity distance setting value, and generating an alert signal when it is determined that the calculated distance is less than the vehicle proximity distance setting value; and an alerting unit for receiving the alert signal and alerting.

Claims

1. A vehicle proximity alerting system comprising:

a sensor device having a plurality of sensors for measuring distances from other vehicles;

a system controlling unit for receiving measurement signals from the sensor device;

calculating distance from other vehicles, sequentially comparing the calculated distance with proximity distance setting values being set by a user, and generating an alert signal according to corresponding one of the proximity distance setting values; and

an alerting unit for receiving the alert signal and alerting the drivers of other vehicles using a lateral alert lamp display and alerting the vehicle driver using a glass display, wherein the lateral alert lamp display having a plurality of lamps at left and right sides of the vehicle, and the glass display installed at a front windshield glass of the vehicle and displaying the vehicle proximity alerting data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises:

a first distance sensor for sensing a distance from a front vehicle;

a second distance sensor for sensing a distance from a right vehicle;

a third distance sensor for sensing a distance from a left vehicle;

a fourth distance sensor for sensing a distance from a rear vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system controlling unit comprises:

a distance setting unit for storing the proximity distance setting values;

an input signal processor for receiving sensing signals from the sensors device under a predetermined control, and converting the received sensing signals into distance value;

a distance calculator for sequentially comparing the distance values with the proximity distance setting values under a predetermined control, determining whether or not the distance value is less than the proximity distance setting values, and generating determination result signal;

an output signal processor for generating the alert signal corresponding to one of the proximity distances setting values under a predetermined control; and

a controller for controlling the input signal processor and the distance calculator, reading and outputting the proximity distance setting values to the distance calculator in a vehicle proximity alerting mode, and receiving and outputting the determination result signal and the alert signal to the output signal processor.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the system controlling unit comprises:

a distance setting unit for storing the proximity distance setting values;

an input signal processor for receiving sensing signal from the sensor unit under a predetermined control, and converting the received sensing signal into distance value;

a distance calculator for sequentially comparing the distance value with the proximity distance setting values under a predetermined control, determining whether or not the distance value is less than the proximity distance setting values, and generating determination result signal;

an output signal processor for generating the alert signal corresponding to one of the proximity distances setting values under a predetermined control; and

a controller for controlling the input signal processor and the distance calculator, reading and outputting the proximity distance setting values to the distance calculator in a vehicle proximity alerting mode, and receiving and outputting the determination result signal and the alert signal to the output signal processor.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the glass alert display is an organic EL (ElectroLuminescent) display unit.

6. A vehicle proximity alerting method comprising the steps of:

setting proximity distance setting values by a user;

measuring distances from other vehicles using a sensor device;

sequentially comparing the measured distance with the proximity distance setting values, and alerting the drivers of other vehicles using a lateral alert lamp display and alerting the vehicle driver using a glass display of an alerting unit, correspondingly to one of the corresponding proximity distance setting values, wherein the lateral alert lamp display having a plurality of lamps at left and right sides of the vehicle, and the glass display installed at front windshield class of the vehicle and displaying the vehicle proximity alerting data.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the alerting is further performed using an alert sound signal.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the alerting is performed through displaying a vehicle proximity alerting text data.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the alerting is performed through blinking a lamp installed outside a vehicle and alerting anti-approach to other vehicles.