Vehicle intersection monitoring system and method

• US 9,031,776 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goudy, Roy W., Probert, Neal, Christensen, Andrew, Chambers, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/689,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20140149031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A vehicle intersection monitoring method includes exchanging host vehicle information and remote vehicle information between a host vehicle and a remote vehicle, with the host vehicle information including information pertaining to a host vehicle location, a host vehicle heading and a host vehicle intended next maneuver and the remote vehicle information including information pertaining to a remote vehicle location, a remote vehicle heading and a remote vehicle intended next maneuver. The method further includes identifying a road intersection relating to the host vehicle heading and the remote vehicle heading, selecting an intersection scenario from a plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information, and monitoring, by operation of a processor, a location relationship between the host vehicle and the remote vehicle according to an algorithm that is determined based on the selected intersection scenario.

Claims

1. A vehicle intersection monitoring method comprising:

generating host vehicle information with a navigation unit, the host vehicle information including a host vehicle location, a host vehicle heading, and information indicating a host vehicle intended next maneuver;

receiving remote vehicle information with a receiver, the remote vehicle information including a remote vehicle location, a remote vehicle heading, and information indicating a remote vehicle intended next maneuver;

determining an intersection location with a controller based on the host vehicle heading and the remote vehicle heading;

selecting with the controller an intersection scenario from a plurality of intersection scenarios stored in a storage unit, based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information;

determining with the controller a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location, the location relationship including a straight line between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location, and an angle between a travel path of the host vehicle and the straight line based on a fixed coordinate system and a preselected angle direction; and

monitoring, with the controller, the location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location according to an algorithm that is determined based on the selected intersection scenario.

2. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a distance between the host vehicle location and the intersection location.

3. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring includes monitoring a time until the host vehicle location reaches the intersection location, and a time the remote vehicle location reaches the intersection location as the location relationship.

4. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein

the remote vehicle information includes a condition of a remote vehicle turn signal indicating the remote vehicle intended next maneuver, and

the host vehicle information includes a condition of a host vehicle turn signal indicating the host vehicle intended next maneuver.

5. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein

the remote vehicle information includes remote vehicle navigation information indicating the remote vehicle intended next maneuver;

and

the host vehicle information includes host vehicle navigation information indicating the host vehicle intended next maneuver.

6. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of the following

determining with the controller the remote vehicle intended next maneuver as a straight movement of the remote vehicle at the intersection location, a left turn of the remote vehicle at the intersection location or a right turn of the remote vehicle at the intersection location;

and

determining with the controller the host vehicle intended next maneuver as a straight movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location, a left turn of the host vehicle at the intersection location or a right turn of the host vehicle at the intersection location.

7. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying of the intersection location is based on navigation map data.

8. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting of the intersection scenario includes eliminating some of the plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information.

9. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting of the intersection scenario includes determining, based on the remote vehicle intended next maneuver and the host vehicle intended next maneuver, whether the remote vehicle will be moving left in relation to a path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location, right in relation to the path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location or across the path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location.

10. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising

determining with the controller whether the host vehicle is within a predetermined distance to the intersection location, and refraining from causing a warning to be issued when the host vehicle is not within a predetermined distance to the intersection location.

11. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 10, further comprising

determining with the controller whether the host vehicle and the remote vehicle will arrive at the intersection location simultaneously, and when the controller determines that the host vehicle and the remote vehicle will arrive at the intersection location simultaneously, the controller causes a warning to be issued.

12. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein

the remote vehicle information includes a remote vehicle elevation, and the host vehicle information includes a host vehicle elevation, and when the remote vehicle elevation is not substantially equal to the host vehicle elevation, determining with the controller that the host vehicle and the remote vehicle will not arrive at the intersection location simultaneously.

13. A vehicle intersection monitoring system comprising:

a communication device on a host vehicle configured to transmit host vehicle information and receive remote vehicle information, the host vehicle information including a host vehicle location, a host vehicle heading and information indicating a host vehicle intended next maneuver and the remote vehicle information including a remote vehicle location, a remote vehicle heading and information indicating a remote vehicle intended next maneuver; and

a controller on the host vehicle configured to determine an intersection location based on the host vehicle heading and the remote vehicle heading, select an intersection scenario from a plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information, determine a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location, the location relationship including a straight line between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location, and an angle between a travel path of the host vehicle and the straight line based on a fixed coordinate system and a preselected angle direction, and monitor the location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location according to an algorithm that is determined based on the selected intersection scenario.

14. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to monitor a distance between the host vehicle location and the intersection location.

15. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to monitor a time until the host vehicle location reaches the intersection location, and a time the remote vehicle location reaches the intersection location as the location relationship.

16. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the remote vehicle information includes a condition of a remote vehicle turn signal indicating the remote vehicle intended next maneuver;

and

the host vehicle information includes a condition of a host vehicle turn signal indicating the host vehicle intended next maneuver.

17. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the remote vehicle information includes remote vehicle navigation information indicating the remote vehicle intended next maneuver;

and

the host vehicle information includes host vehicle navigation information indicating the host vehicle intended next maneuver.

18. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to perform at least one of the following

determine the remote vehicle intended next maneuver as a straight movement of the remote vehicle at the intersection location, a left turn of the remote vehicle at the intersection location or a right turn of the remote vehicle at the intersection location;

and

determine the host vehicle intended next maneuver as a straight movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location, a left turn of the host vehicle at the intersection location or a right turn of the host vehicle at the intersection location.

19. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to identify the intersection location based on navigation map data.

20. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to select the intersection scenario by eliminating some of the plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information.

21. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 13, wherein

the controller is configured to select the intersection scenario by determining, based on the remote vehicle intended next maneuver and the host vehicle intended next maneuver, whether the remote vehicle will be moving left in relation to a path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location, right in relation to the path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location or across the path of movement of the host vehicle at the intersection location.