Collision mitigation systems and methods using driver attentiveness

• US 9,047,780 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Guarnizo Martinez, Pablo Luis, Yu, Jingshen
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/768,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23- 26, 701/36, 701/70, 701/72, 701/78, 701/83, 701/300, 701/301, 180/271, 180/272, 340/573.1, 340574-576, 303/19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance 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 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0872 Driver physiology
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/20 Direction indicator values
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space

Abstract

Methods and systems for mitigating vehicle collisions. One system includes a processor configured to set a driver attention level to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one device located within a vehicle. The processor is also configured to automatically pre-fill at least one brake line of the vehicle when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level, automatically perform a brake jerk when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a first predetermined distance, and automatically slow the vehicle when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a second predetermined distance.

Claims

1. A system for mitigating vehicle collisions, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

set a driver attention level to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one from the group of a vehicle control device and an entertainment system located within a vehicle,

automatically pre-fill at least one brake line of the vehicle without automatically applying vehicle brakes when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level,

automatically perform a brake jerk when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a first predetermined distance, and

automatically slow the vehicle when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a second predetermined distance,

wherein the processor is configured to set the driver attention level to the attentive level when the driver is not interacting with an entertainment system located within the vehicle and at least one turn indicator located within the vehicle is active.

2. A system for mitigating vehicle collisions, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

set a driver attention level to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one from the group of a vehicle control device and an entertainment system located within a vehicle,

automatically pre-fill at least one brake line of the vehicle without automatically applying vehicle brakes when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level,

automatically perform a brake jerk when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a first predetermined distance, and

automatically slow the vehicle when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle is less than a second predetermined distance,

wherein the processor is configured to set the driver attention level to the attentive level when the driver is not interacting with an entertainment system located within the vehicle and a steering angle of the vehicle has changed within a past predetermined period of time.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to automatically slow the vehicle based on a current velocity of the vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the vehicle control device includes at least one from the group of a turn indicator and a steering wheel.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to set the driver attention level to the inattentive level when the driver is interacting with an entertainment system located within the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to set the driver attention level to the inattentive level when no turn indicator of the vehicle is active and a steering angle of the vehicle has not changed within a past predetermined period of time.

7. A method for mitigating vehicle collisions, the method comprising:

setting, at a processor, a driver attention level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one from the group of an entertainment system, a turn indicator, and a steering wheel located within a vehicle, wherein the driver attention level is set to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level; and

automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle based on the driver attention level, a current vehicle velocity, and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle in a series of actions, wherein automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle includes automatically pre-filling at least one brake line of the vehicle as a first action, automatically performing a brake jerk of the vehicle as a second action, and automatically slowing the vehicle as a third action,

wherein automatically pre-filling at least one brake line of the vehicle includes automatically pre-filling the at least one brake line when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and the distance is less than a predetermined distance,

wherein automatically performing the brake jerk includes performing the brake jerk when the driver attention level is set to inattentive and the distance is less than a second predetermined distance,

wherein automatically slowing the vehicle includes slowing the vehicle to a standstill and maintaining the vehicle at the standstill for a predetermined time when the driver attention level is set to inattentive and the distance is less than a third predetermined distance.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a warning to the driver when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically controlling the vehicle based on the current vehicle velocity includes automatically controlling the vehicle based on a relative speed between the vehicle and the closest object.

10. A method for mitigating vehicle collisions, the method comprising:

setting, at a processor, a driver attention level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one from the group of an entertainment system, a turn indicator, and a steering wheel located within a vehicle, wherein the driver attention level is set to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level; and

automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle based on the driver attention level, a current vehicle velocity, and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle in a series of actions, wherein automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle includes automatically pre-filling at least one brake line of the vehicle as a first action, automatically performing a brake jerk of the vehicle as a second action, and automatically slowing the vehicle as a third action,

wherein setting the driver attention level includes setting the driver attention level to the attentive level when the driver is not interacting with the entertainment system and has turned the steering wheel within a past predetermined period of time.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein automatically pre-filling at least one brake line of the vehicle includes automatically pre-filling the at least one brake line when the driver attention level is set to the inattentive level and the distance is less than a predetermined distance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein automatically pre-filling the at least one brake line includes pre-filling the at least one brake line without automatically applying vehicle brakes.

13. A method for mitigating vehicle collisions, the method comprising:

setting, at a processor, a driver attention level based on a driver'"'"'s interaction with at least one from the group of an entertainment system, a turn indicator, and a steering wheel located within a vehicle, wherein the driver attention level is set to at least one of an attentive level and an inattentive level; and

automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle based on the driver attention level, a current vehicle velocity, and a distance between the vehicle and a closest object detected around the vehicle in a series of actions, wherein automatically controlling at least a portion of the vehicle includes automatically pre-filling at least one brake line of the vehicle as a first action, automatically performing a brake jerk of the vehicle as a second action, and automatically slowing the vehicle as a third action,

wherein setting the driver attention level includes setting the driver attention level to the attentive level when the driver is not interacting with the entertainment system and the at least one turn indicator is active.