System for vehicle control to mitigate intersection collisions and method of using the same

• US 8,577,550 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2009
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lu, Jianbo, Prasad, Priya, Tsiotras, Panagiotis, Velenis, Efstathios, Filev, Dimitar Petrov
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US12/573,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20110082623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,492 Days
• Field of Search: 180/6.2
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A control system and method to mitigate intersection crashes is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes an electronic control module equipped with memory and in communication with at least one radar sensor system, at lest one environmental sensor system, at least one vehicle stability system, an operator advisory system, a brake control system, a controllable steering system, and a powertrain control system. In one embodiment, the method may include determining whether a vehicle is entering an intersection, determining whether the operator is responding correctly to the sensed conditions in the intersection, activating the controlled brakes, determining any intersection threat, determining whether any sensed threat is imminent, activating the accident mitigation adviser, reducing engine torque while in the intersection, and actuating steering and brake control systems while in the intersection.

Claims

1. A control system to mitigate intersection crashes, comprising:

an electronic control module equipped with a memory and in communication with at least one radar sensor sensing system, at least one environmental sensing system, at least one vehicle stability control system, at least one operator advisory system and at least one of a brake control system, a controllable steering system, an electronic power assisted steering system, and a powertrain control system, said system configured to;

evaluate a driver response to a warning provided to the driver by the system, the warning indicative of anticipated entrance of a host vehicle into an intersection,

pre-charge said brake control system according to criteria including driver input indicative of a corrective response to the provided warning not being received, the pre-charge being applied to a predetermined level in order to reduce time delay in braking without introducing a noticeable motion disturbance to the host vehicle, and

utilize the pre-charged brake control system to invoke brake-based steer assist to augment received crash avoidance steering input.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the environmental sensing system includes sensor elements for adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation system, lane change assist system, blind spot detection system, side impact crash sensors, frontal impact crash sensors, at least one pre-crash sensor, global positioning system, and global positioning system for navigation with digital maps.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle stability control system is at least one of a yaw stability control system, roll stability control system, and lateral stability control system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the brake control system and the power assisted steering system are engaged when a pre-crash hazard is detected.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator advisory system is haptic, auditory or visual.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes an intersection entrance advisor module that is configured to receive global positioning system data to determine the entrance of the host vehicle to the intersection, the control system being configured to characterize the intersection based on the global positioning system data and to provide warning signals based on the intersection characterization.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the driver input indicative of a corrective response includes at least one of input indicative of throttle dropping, input indicative of braking, and input indicative of a reduction in speed of the host vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control module is further configured to:

provide the warning within a first predetermined threshold amount of time before entrance of the host vehicle into the intersection; and

determine that the driver input indicative of a corrective response to the provided warning is not received when the input is not received within a second predetermined threshold amount of time before entrance of the host vehicle into the intersection.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined level of pre-charge brake pressure is in the range of 2 to 5 bar.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning includes an indication at least one of:

the intersection being identified as a location where accidents have happened previously, the intersection being identified as busy or crowded, the speed of the host vehicle being in excess of the speed limit of the intersection, a current time-to-intersection if the host vehicle maintains speed, current road conditions of the intersection, and a traffic control of the intersection.

7. A control system to mitigate intersection crashes, comprising:

an electronic control module equipped with a memory;

at least one radar sensor sensing system;

at least one environmental sensing system;

at least one vehicle stability control system;

at least one operator advisory system; and

at least one of a brake control system, a controllable steering system, an electronic power assisted steering system, and a powertrain control system;

wherein the electronic control module is configured for selective communication with each of the at least one radar sensor sensing system, at least one environmental sensing system, at least one vehicle stability control system, at least one operator advisory system and the at least one of brake control system, controllable steering system, electronic power assisted steering system, and powertrain control system, said system configured to;

provide a warning indicative of anticipated entrance of a host vehicle into an intersection,

evaluate a driver response to the warning provided to the driver by the system,

pre-charge said brake control system according to criteria including driver input indicative of a corrective response to the provided warning not being received, the pre-charge being applied to a predetermined level in order to reduce time delay in braking without introducing a noticeable motion disturbance to the host vehicle, and

utilize the pre-charged brake control system to invoke brake-based steer assist to augment received crash avoidance steering input.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the memory includes an intersection entrance advisor module that is configured to receive global positioning system data to determine the entrance of the host vehicle to the intersection, the control system being configured to characterize the intersection based on the global positioning system data and to provide warning signals based on the intersection characterization.