Method and device for controlling automatic emergency braking

• US 7,975,798 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2005
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Branz, Wolfgang, Oechsle, Fred, Wilhelm, Ulf, Haffmans, Paco, Meister, Dirk, Heinebrodt, Martin, Lucas, Bernhard, Randler, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US11/792,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 180/275, 180/282, 701/48
• US Class Current: 180/275
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• 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

Abstract

A method and a device for controlling automatic emergency braking of a motor vehicle to reduce the severity of a collision of a vehicle with an object, the position and/or speed of the object with respect to the host vehicle being determined via an object detection device, and this information being sent to a collision detection device which ascertains whether a collision with an object is imminent and, on detecting a collision, triggers emergency braking and ascertains a collision instant, emergency braking being terminated after the period of time until the determined collision instant has elapsed.

Claims

1. A device for controlling automatic emergency braking of a motor vehicle for reducing a severity of a collision of a vehicle with an object, comprising:

a collision detection device; and

an object detection device for detecting a position and/or speed of the object with respect to a host vehicle and sending information relating thereto to the collision detection device, wherein the collision detection device ascertains whether a collision with the object is imminent and, on detection of an imminent collision, triggers an emergency braking and calculates a collision instant when the collision will occur, and wherein the emergency braking is terminated after the calculated collision instant has elapsed.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein another collision detection device transmits a collision detection signal to the collision detection device when a collision occurs.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the another collision detection device detects a collision on the basis of an unsteady change in the wheel rotational speeds of all vehicle wheels.

4. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the another collision detection device detects a collision on the basis of an unsteady change in the yaw rate signal.

5. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the another collision detection device detects a collision on the basis of a triggering signal of an airbag deployment sensor system that includes an acceleration sensor for airbag deployment.

6. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the another collision detection device detects a collision on the basis of an AND operation of at least two conditions of:

an unsteady change in the wheel rotational speeds of all vehicle wheels,

an unsteady change in the yaw rate signal, and

a triggering signal of an airbag deployment sensor system.

7. A method for controlling automatic emergency braking of a motor vehicle to reduce the severity of a collision of the vehicle with an object, comprising:

detecting a position and/or speed of the object with respect to the host vehicle via an object detection device;

sending information relating to the position and/or speed to a collision detection device that ascertains whether a collision with an object is imminent and, when an imminent collision is detected, triggers an emergency braking and calculates a collision instant when the collision will occur; and

terminating the emergency braking after the calculated collision instant has elapsed.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the emergency braking is terminated only after a predetermined instant after the calculated collision instant.

9. A device for controlling automatic emergency braking of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a collision detection device configured to confirm an occurrence of a collision;

a collision prediction device configured to identify an imminent collision; and

an emergency break controller configured to;

trigger an emergency break, responsive to the identified imminent collision;

calculate a collision instant when the identified imminent collision will occur; and

responsive to an elapsing of the collision instant, discontinue the emergency break if the collision detection device indicates no occurrence of a collision.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the collision instant is calculated by taking into consideration a predetermined error offset period.