Collision avoidance system for vehicles

• US 9,401,090 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHALEN, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US12/501,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,573 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/117, 701300-301, 701/400, 701/470, 340901-903, 340435-436
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A collision avoidance system uses map information to manage power. The collision avoidance system operates at a first communications range when a vehicle is determined, based upon the map information, to be in a relatively low collision risk scenario. When the collision avoidance system determines that the vehicle is approaching a situation of increased collision risk, such as an intersection, the communications is increased. The communications range may be increased by increasing the power to the antenna system or using antenna diversity techniques.

Claims

1. A method for operating a collision avoidance system of a first vehicle that utilizes a short to medium range communications within a a short to medium range communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

operating the collision avoidance system at a first system power level within the a short to medium range communication system under low collision risk conditions;

wherein the step of operating the collision avoidance system at the first system power level comprises transmitting a signal with the at a first transmission power level from the first vehicle that is configured to be received at a second vehicle to establish a vehicle-to vehicle communication link;

determining if the first vehicle is approaching a location of increased collision risk, wherein the increased collision risk location comprises at least one of a traffic control device and a non-line of sight intersection;

increasing the first system power level to a second system power level within the a short to medium range communication system when the first vehicle is approaching the location of increased collision risk, wherein the second system power level is greater than the first system power level;

transmitting a signal with the at a second transmission power level from the first vehicle that is configured to be received at the second vehicle to establish a vehicle-to vehicle communication link, wherein the second transmission power level is greater than the first transmission power level;

decreasing the second system power level back to the first system power level within the a short to medium range communication system when the first vehicle has passed through the location of increased collision risk;

receiving communications within the a short to medium range communication system using a single antenna under low collision risk conditions;

determining if the first vehicle is approaching a location of increased collision risk; and

receiving communications within the short to medium range communication system using an antenna diversity technique when the first vehicle is approaching the location of increased collision risk.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing navigation information to the collision avoidance system from a navigation system that is in communication with the collision avoidance system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the navigation information is used to determine that the first vehicle is approaching the location of increased collision risk.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the navigation information includes a database that includes known locations with the presence of a traffic control device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the navigation information includes the location of the first vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a deceleration of the vehicle indicates that the first vehicle is approaching the location of increased collision risk.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the collision avoidance system utilizes vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

8. A method for operating a collision avoidance system of a first vehicle that utilizes short to medium range communications within a short to medium range communication system, wherein the collision avoidance system has more than one antenna, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving communications within the short to medium range communication system at the first vehicle using a single antenna under low collision risk conditions;

determining if the first vehicle is approaching a location of increased collision risk, wherein the increased collision risk location comprises at least one of a traffic control device and a non-line of sight intersection;

receiving communications within the short to medium range communication system at the first vehicle using an antenna diversity technique when the first vehicle is approaching the location of increased collision risk; and

receiving communications within the short to medium range communication system at the first vehicle using a signal antenna when the first vehicle has passed through the location of increased collision risk.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the antenna diversity technique is selected from the group consisting of switching, selecting, combining, dynamic control, and combinations of these tecniques.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the location of increased collision risk comprises an area proximate the traffic control device.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising periodically compairing a position of the first vehicle with known locations of non-line of sight intersections to determine the increased risk location.