Process and device for avoiding collision while opening vehicle doors

• US 7,586,402 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Suissa, Avshalom, Woltermann, Bernd, Dudeck, Ingo, Moebus, Rainer, Schoeb, Reinhold, Regensburger, Uwe, Gern, Axel, Oltmann, Volker, Schittenhelm, Helmut, Knoeppel, Carsten, Mohn, Frank-Werner, Bihler, Edgar, Zomotor, Zoltan, Janssen, Reinhard, Franke, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen; Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US10/586,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/903, 701/301, 49/28, 49/31
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/12 Automatic locking or unlocking at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05C 17/006 with means for detecting obstacles outside the doors

Abstract

The opening of vehicle doors often leads to collisions with stationary obstacles that are not visible to the occupants or with moving obstacles that approach the vehicle without being noticed. Thus to avoid collisions when vehicle doors are opened, the aim of the invention is to take any modifications to the environmental situation of the vehicle as a result of a movement of the vehicle and the detected objects into consideration. This allows a collision of the vehicle doors with the objects to be reliably avoided. To achieve this, in a first step the probable trajectory of a vehicle is determined. In an additional step, the objects in the vicinity of the vehicle are detected and probable trajectories of said detected objects are determined. Respective probability ranges are then defined both for the vehicle and the pivoting zone of the vehicle doors and for the detected objects. The probability ranges of the pivoting zones of the vehicle doors are respectively compared with the individual probability ranges of the objects, in order to determine whether they overlap. If an overlap is identified, a response; signal that indicates the risk of a collision is generated.

Claims

1. A process for avoidance of collision when opening doors of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

determining a projected path of movement (6) of the vehicle (4),

detecting objects (1) in the near or far environment about the vehicle (4) using environment sensors,

determining the projected movement paths (2) of the detected objects (1),

determining a probability space (7) for the pivot area (5) of the vehicle doors and a probability space (3) for each detected object (1),

comparing the probability space (7) of the pivot areas (5) of the vehicle doors with the probability spaces (3) of the objects (1) so that a possible overlapping can be detected, and

producing a reaction signal indicating a danger of collision when an overlapping is recognized.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein the movement paths are extrapolated from the past out to a pre-determined future period of time.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction signal indicating danger of collision is produced when an overlapping of the probability spaces (3, 7) at a point in time and/or a certain duration of time is indicated.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein the probability space (7) for the pivot area (5) of the vehicle doors and the probability space (3) for the object (1) are determined by probability boundary curves (2a, 2b, 6a, 6b) of the projected path of movement (2, 6).

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction signal triggers an acoustic, optic or haptic warning, when the opening of the door is initiated or when the door is opened.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the reaction signal so controls the door lock, that the corresponding door is locked for at least a certain amount of time.

7. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process is only carried out in the case that the speed of the vehicle (4) does not exceed a predetermined value and/or the opening of a door is recognized.

8. A process according to claim 1, wherein the process is carried out by a collision monitoring unit, and wherein the process is deactivated by manual switching-off of the collision monitoring unit, or by closing of the vehicle (4) from the outside, or when no person is inside the vehicle (4), or when the vehicle speed exceeds a pre-determined speed.

9. A process according to claim 1, wherein the output of the reaction signal is terminated, as soon as the collision danger no longer exists.

10. A device for avoiding collisions during opening of vehicle doors, including a collision monitoring unit (9) including

an evaluation unit (10a), which recognizes objects (1) in the environment of a vehicle (4) from sensor data from environment sensors and determines projected movement paths (2) for the detected objects (1) and which determines the projected movement path (6) of the vehicle (4) from sensor data from the sensors, and

a micro-processor (10b), which is programmed to determine a probability space (7) for the vehicle (4) and probability paths (3) for the detected objects (1) and to recognize an overlapping of a probability space (7) and a probability path (3), whereupon the micro-processor (10b) emits a reaction signal indicating danger of collision to a warning means or a control unit (13) in the case that an overlapping has been determined.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the collision monitoring unit (9) is designed to extrapolate from the past sensor data the movement path (2, 6) of

(a) an object in the environment of the vehicle (4) and

(b) the vehicle (4) for a pre-determined period of time into the future.

12. A device according to claim 10, wherein the collision monitoring unit (9) is activated when at least one of (a) the speed of the vehicle (4) drops below a pre-determined speed and (b) the opening of a door is recognized.

13. A device according to claim 10, wherein the collision monitoring unit (9) is deactivated when at least one of (a) the vehicle (4) exceeds a pre-determined speed (b) the vehicle (4) is closed from outside and (c) the collision monitoring unit is manually switched off.

14. A device according to claim 10, wherein the collision monitoring unit is connected to a bus system, via which data regarding location, size and/or number of doors is made available.

15. A device according to claim 10, wherein other traffic participants are alerted by optical or acoustic warning signals regarding an imminent or already occurring door opening.