Communication based vehicle-pedestrian collision warning system

• US 8,903,640 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2013
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation), Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Caminiti, Lorenzo, Lovell, Jeffrey Clark, Richardson, James Joseph, Higgins, Christopher Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): SUAREZ, ERNESTO A
• Application Number:
  US13/894,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20130253816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 340/436, 340/438, 340/901, 340/907, 348/148, 348/149
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/34 Protecting non-occupants of a vehicle, e.g. pedestrians B60R19/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/00 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A system for detecting a pedestrian is provided. The system includes a base and a mast extending from the base, and a plurality of sensors mounted on the mast, the plurality of sensors for detecting objects and pedestrians within a predetermined range, and wherein the sensors include a GPS antenna, at least one camera, an alert mechanism, a radio with an integrated directional antenna, and a short range communication antenna. A path predicting circuit is in communication with a system vehicle and the pedestrian detection system. The path predicting circuit processes information from the system vehicle and pedestrian detection system to predict the path of the system vehicle and detected objects. The path predicting circuit is in communication with a path collision circuit and the predicted paths are mapped on the path collision circuit so as to determine if the system vehicle may possibly collide with a detected object.

Claims

1. A system for predicting vehicle collision comprising:

a system vehicle including a velocity sensor, and a location sensor for detecting the velocity and location of the system vehicle;

at least one pedestrian detection system, the at least one pedestrian detection system having a base and a mast extending from the base, and a plurality of sensors mounted on the mast, the plurality of sensors detecting objects, to include pedestrians, and wherein the sensors include a GPS antenna, a thermal imaging camera and a high-resolution camera, an alert mechanism, a radio with an integrated directional antenna, and a short range communication antenna, wherein the at least one pedestrian detection system processes the images captured by the camera with GPS information from the GPS antenna to map the location of the objects;

a path predicting circuit in communication with the system vehicle and the pedestrian detection system, wherein the path predicting circuit predicts the path of the system vehicle based upon the velocity or location sensor and predicts the path of objects detected within the predetermined range of the pedestrian detection system;

a path collision circuit in communication with the path predicting circuit, wherein the predicted paths of the system vehicle and the object are mapped onto the path collision circuit so as to determine if the system vehicle and the object may collide, the short range communication antenna communicating with the system vehicle, wherein the short range communication antenna transmits a warning to the system vehicle when a collision is predicted, and wherein pedestrian detection system actuates the alert mechanism so as to warn pedestrians of a potential collision.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the alert mechanism includes at least one of a programmable audio siren, or a pedestrian warning light.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including a camera video analytic processor configured to synchronize and fuse high dynamic range color imagery detected by the high-resolution camera with thermal imagery detected by the thermal imaging camera.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the camera video analytic processor includes embedded model-based tracking algorithms to ensure detected objects are not dropped.

5. A pedestrian detection system for detecting pedestrians within a predetermined area, the pedestrian detection system in communication with a system vehicle including a velocity sensor and a location sensor, the pedestrian detection system comprising:

a base and a mast extending from the base, and a plurality of sensors mounted on the mast, the plurality of sensors detecting objects, to include pedestrians, and wherein the sensors include a GPS antenna, a thermal imaging camera and a high-resolution camera, an alert mechanism, a radio with an integrated directional antenna, and a short range communication antenna;

a processor processing the images captured by the camera with GPS information from the GPS antenna to map the location of the objects;

a path predicting circuit in communication with the system vehicle and the pedestrian detection system, wherein the path predicting circuit predicts the path of the system vehicle based upon the velocity or location sensor and predicts the path of objects detected within the predetermined range of the pedestrian detection system;

a path collision circuit in communication with the path predicting circuit, wherein the predicted paths of the system vehicle and the object are mapped onto the path collision circuit so as to determine if the system vehicle and the object may collide; and

the short range communication antenna communicating with the system vehicle and transmits a warning to the system vehicle when a collision is predicted, and wherein pedestrian detection system actuates the alert mechanism so as to warn pedestrians of a potential collision.

6. The pedestrian detection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the alert mechanism includes at least one of a programmable audio siren, or a pedestrian warning light.

7. The pedestrian detection system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the mast is an elongated member extending generally upright from the base.

8. The pedestrian detection system as set forth in claim 5, further including a camera video analytic processor configured to synchronize and fuse high dynamic range color imagery detected by the high-resolution camera with thermal imagery detected by the thermal imaging camera.

9. The pedestrian detection system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the camera video analytic processor includes embedded model-based tracking algorithms to ensure detected objects are not dropped.