Method and apparatus for avoiding or mitigating vehicle collisions

• US 8,150,583 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Spieker, Andreas, Danner, Bernd, Dohmke, Thomas, Hillenbrand, Joerg, Schmid, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman, Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/793,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 180/167, 180/169, 180/170, 180/171, 180/268, 180/275, 180/281, 280/734, 280/735, 280/806, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 701 45- 47, 701/96, 701300-302
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/024 Collision mitigation 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9325 for inter-vehicle distance regulation, e.g. navigating in platoons

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for collision avoidance or collision mitigation for a vehicle, an existing driving space between the vehicle and a potential collision object is detected. A first warning function and/or an information function is activated when a first threshold value is reached. A system intervention with autonomous partial braking combined with at least one further safety measure is activated when a second threshold value is reached.

Claims

1. A method for operating a collision avoidance or mitigation system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting an existing driving space between the vehicle and a potential collision object;

activating at least one of a first warning function and an information function when a first threshold value is reached; and

activating a system intervention with autonomous partial braking combined with at least one further safety measure when a second threshold value is reached;

wherein, said partial braking is a braking that is limited such that a resulting deceleration does not exceed a predetermined maximum value,

wherein said partial braking is limited to a deceleration value that is less than a deceleration that is necessary to avoid a collision.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said further safety measure comprises carrying out a passenger fastening.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partial braking is carried out with a braking acceleration which is limited to a maximum of 90% of a deceleration required for collision avoidance.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the braking acceleration of the partial braking is limited to a maximum limit, which is predetermined dependent upon speed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the system intervention comprises at least one of braking intervention and autonomous steering intervention; and

said at least one of autonomous braking intervention and autonomous steering intervention is deactivated on demand by a vehicle driver.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the system intervention is deactivated by an emergency braking triggered by the vehicle driver.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein a threshold value calculated from brake pedal travel and brake pedal speed is determined for the deactivation of the system intervention.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the system intervention is deactivated by an acceleration triggered by the vehicle driver.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the system intervention is deactivated by high steering dynamics of the vehicle driver.

10. A method for operating a collision avoidance or mitigation system of a vehicle, said method comprising:

detecting an existing driving space between the vehicle and a potential collision object;

activating at least one of a first warning function and an information function when a first threshold value is reached; and

activating a system intervention with autonomous partial braking combined with at least one further safety measure when a second threshold value is reached;

wherein, said partial braking is a braking that is limited such that a resulting deceleration does not exceed a predetermined maximum value,

wherein the partial braking is carried out with a braking acceleration which is limited to a maximum of 90% of a deceleration required for collision avoidance,

wherein the braking acceleration of the partial braking is limited to a maximum limit, which is predetermined dependent upon speed, and

wherein at low driving speeds, a higher limit is set for the braking acceleration of the partial braking than at higher driving speeds.

11. A collision avoidance or collision mitigation system for a vehicle comprising:

means for detecting an existing driving space between the vehicle and a potential collision object;

means for activating at least one of a first warning function and an information function when a first threshold value is reached; and

means for activating a system intervention with autonomous partial braking combined with at least one further safety measure when a second threshold value that is less than said first threshold value is reached;

wherein, said partial braking is a braking that is limited such that a resulting deceleration does not exceed a predetermined maximum value,

wherein said partial braking is limited to a deceleration value that is less than a deceleration that is necessary to avoid a collision.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the means for detecting an existing driving space between the vehicle and the potential collision object comprises environment-detecting sensors.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the environment-detecting sensors comprise at least one 77-GHz radar sensor.

14. The system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the environment-detecting sensors comprise at least one 24-GHz radar sensor.