Method and system for collision assessment for vehicles

• US 8,954,260 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2010
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zagorski, Chad T., Gandhi, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US12/816,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 701/6, 701/14, 701/16, 701/72, 701/79, 701/24, 701/25, 701/117, 701/122
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/10 Complex mathematical operations function generation by table look-up G06F1/03; evaluation of elementary functions by calculation G06F7/544
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/78 for direction-finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring, or navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 9/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for assessing a target proximate a vehicle. A location and a velocity of the target are obtained. The location and the velocity of the target are mapped onto a polar coordinate system via a processor. A likelihood that the vehicle and the target will collide is determined using the mapping.

Claims

1. A method for assessing a target proximate a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

via a detection unit configured to provide information pertaining to the target;

obtaining a location and a velocity of the target and via a processor coupled to the detection unit;

mapping the location and the velocity onto a polar coordinate system, wherein a pole of the polar coordinate system comprises a turn center of the vehicle;

calculating an estimated time value at which a path of the target is expected to reach a trajectory of the vehicle using the mapping of the location and the velocity onto the polar coordinate system;

determining a likelihood that the vehicle and the target will collide using the mapping, based on the calculated estimated time value;

determining a velocity component of the target along a radius from the turn center of the vehicle using the velocity;

determining a closest portion of the trajectory relative to the target; and

calculating a distance between the closest portion of the trajectory relative to the target and the location;

wherein the estimated time value is calculated using the velocity component and the distance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a second distance between the location and the turn center; and

determining a turn radius of the vehicle;

wherein the step of calculating the distance comprises the step of calculating the distance using the second distance and the turn radius.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a second estimated time value at which the vehicle will contact the target if the vehicle and the target were to collide, using the mapping; and

determining that a collision between the vehicle and the target is likely if the estimated time value is less than or equal to the second estimated time value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

determining a second velocity component of the target that is perpendicular to the radius from the turn center using the velocity; and

calculating a third velocity component of the target that is tangent to the trajectory using the second velocity component;

wherein the second estimated time value is calculated using the third velocity component.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

calculating a first angle of the vehicle relative to a polar axis of the polar coordinate system;

calculating a second angle of the target relative to the polar axis; and

calculating a third distance between the vehicle and the closest portion using the first angle and the second angle;

wherein the second estimated time value is calculated using the third velocity component and the third distance.

6. A method for assessing a target proximate a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

via a detection unit configured to provide information pertaining to the target;

identifying a location and a velocity of the target;

and identifying a turn center, a trajectory, and a turn radius of the vehicle and via a processor coupled to the detection unit;

calculating a first estimated time value at which the target is expected to reach the trajectory using the location and the velocity;

calculating a second estimated time value at which the vehicle will contact the target if the vehicle and the target were to collide using the turn center and the turn radius;

determining that a collision between the vehicle and the target is likely if the first estimated time value is less than or equal to the second estimated time value;

obtaining a velocity component of the target along a radius from the turn center;

calculating a distance between the target and the turn center;

calculating a second distance between the target and a closest portion of the trajectory with respect to the target using the distance and the turn radius;

obtaining a second velocity component of the target that is perpendicular to the radius from the turn center;

calculating a third velocity component of the target that is tangent to the trajectory using the second velocity component;

calculating a first angle of the vehicle relative to a polar axis;

calculating a second angle of the target relative to the polar axis; and

calculating a third distance between the vehicle and the closest portion using the first angle and the second angle;

wherein the first estimated time value is calculated using the third velocity component and the third distance.

7. A system for assessing a target proximate a vehicle, the system comprising:

a detection unit configured to provide information pertaining to a location and a velocity of the target; and

a processor coupled to the detection unit and configured to;

map the location and the velocity onto a polar coordinate system, generating a mapping, wherein a pole of the polar coordinate system comprises a turn center of the vehicle;

calculate an estimated time value at which a path of the target is expected to reach a trajectory of the vehicle using the mapping of the location and the velocity onto the polar coordinate system;

determine a likelihood that the vehicle and the target will collide using the mapping, based on the calculated estimated time value;

identify a velocity component of the target along a radius from the turn center of the vehicle using the velocity;

determine a closest portion of the trajectory with respect to the target;

calculate a distance between the closest portion of the trajectory with respect to the target and the location; and

calculate the estimated time value using the velocity component and the distance.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a second distance between the location and the turn center;

determine a turn radius of the vehicle; and

calculate the distance using the second distance and the turn radius.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a second estimated time value at which the vehicle will contact the target if the vehicle and the target were to collide using the mapping; and

determine that a collision between the vehicle and the target is likely if the estimated time value is less than or equal to the second estimated time value.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a second velocity component of the target that is perpendicular to the radius from the turn center using the velocity;

calculate a third velocity component of the target that is tangent to the trajectory using the second velocity component; and

calculate the second estimated time value using the third velocity component.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a first angle of the vehicle relative to a polar axis of the polar coordinate system;

calculate a second angle of the target relative to the polar axis;

calculate a third distance between the vehicle and the closest portion using the first angle and the second angle; and

calculate the second estimated time value using the third velocity component and the third distance.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

an alert generator coupled to the processor and configured to provide an alert based on the likelihood that the vehicle and the target will collide.