Vehicle intersection monitoring system and method

• US 9,620,014 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• 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): SOOFI, YAZAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/689,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20140148998A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,594 Days
• Field of Search: 701 41, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A vehicle intersection monitoring method includes exchanging host vehicle information and remote vehicle information between a host vehicle and a remote vehicle, identifying a road intersection based on at least one of the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information, and selecting an intersection scenario from a plurality of intersection scenarios based on the host vehicle information and the remote vehicle information. The method further includes 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, to determine whether a possibility of contact between the host vehicle and the remote vehicle exists proximate to the intersection, and performing a threat mitigation operation while the possibility of contact exists.

Claims

1. A vehicle intersection monitoring method comprising:

generating host vehicle information with a navigation unit, the host vehicle information comprising a host vehicle location, a host vehicle trajectory including a host vehicle heading and a host vehicle velocity, and host vehicle component information including a host vehicle brake status;

receiving remote vehicle information with a receiver, the remote vehicle information comprising a remote vehicle location, a remote vehicle trajectory including a remote vehicle heading and a remote vehicle velocity, and remote vehicle component information including a remote vehicle brake status;

determining with a controller an expected host vehicle travel path based on the host vehicle information, an expected remote vehicle travel path based on the remote vehicle information, and an expected intersection location based on the expected host vehicle travel path and the expected remote vehicle travel path;

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

determining with the controller a host vehicle intent to approach the expected intersection location based on the host vehicle trajectory and the host vehicle brake status;

determining with the controller a remote vehicle intent to approach the expected intersection location based on the remote vehicle trajectory and the remote vehicle brake status; and

selecting with the controller a host vehicle response corresponding to the intersection scenario, the determined host vehicle intent, and the determined remote vehicle intent, the host vehicle response including performing an intervening threat mitigation operation or refraining from performing an operation.

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

the selecting the host vehicle response further includes warning issued by the host vehicle.

3. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 2, wherein

the host vehicle information includes a host vehicle elevation, the remote vehicle information includes a remote vehicle elevation, and the determining the expected intersection location includes determining whether the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are substantially the same;

and

the selecting the host vehicle response includes selecting at least one of issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are substantially the same, and includes refraining from performing the operation when the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are not substantially the same.

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

the selecting of the intersection scenario includes determining whether the expected remote vehicle travel path includes turning left, turning right, or travelling straight, and the determining whether the expected host vehicle travel path includes turning left, turning right, or travelling straight.

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

the determining the host vehicle intent indicates an intent to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the host vehicle velocity is greater than a threshold velocity, and

the host vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state and the brake status indicates a brake released state.

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

the determining the host vehicle intent indicates a lack of intent to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the host vehicle velocity indicates a moving state having a velocity less than a threshold velocity, and

the host vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state, and the brake status indicates a brake applied state.

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

the determining the remote vehicle intent indicates an intent to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the remote vehicle velocity is greater than a threshold velocity, and

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state and the brake status indicates a brake released state.

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

the determining the remote vehicle intent indicates lack of intent to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a moving state having a velocity less than a threshold velocity, and

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state, and the brake status indicates a brake applied state.

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

continually monitoring with the controller a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location to determine whether potential to contact exists, and

the selecting the host vehicle response includes the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the potential to contact is determined to exist, and includes refraining from performing the operation when the potential to contact is determined not to exist.

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

the selecting the host vehicle response includes the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the host vehicle location is within a predetermined distance from the expected intersection location, and includes refraining from performing an operation when the host vehicle location is greater than the predetermined distance from the expected intersection location.

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

the selecting the host vehicle response includes the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the remote vehicle location is within a second predetermined distance from the expected intersection location, and includes refraining from performing an operation when the remote vehicle location is greater than the second predetermined distance from the expected intersection location.

23. The vehicle intersection monitoring method according to claim 2, further comprising

continually monitoring with the controller a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location to determine whether potential to contact exists, and

the selecting the host vehicle response includes issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the potential to contact is determined to exist, and includes refraining from the issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when host vehicle brakes are applied.

5. A vehicle intersection monitoring system comprising:

a navigation device configured to generate host vehicle information comprising a host vehicle location, a host vehicle trajectory including a host vehicle heading and a host vehicle velocity, and host vehicle component information including a host vehicle brake status;

a receiver configured to receive remote vehicle information comprising a remote vehicle location, a remote vehicle trajectory including a remote vehicle heading and a remote vehicle velocity, and remote vehicle component information including a remote vehicle brake status;

a storage unit configured to store a plurality of intersection scenarios; and

a controller configured to determine an expected host vehicle travel path based on the host vehicle information, determine an expected remote vehicle travel path based on the remote vehicle information, determine an expected intersection location based on the expected host vehicle travel path and the expected remote vehicle travel path, select an intersection scenario from the plurality of intersection scenarios based on the expected host vehicle travel path and the expected remote vehicle travel path, determine a host vehicle intent to approach the expected intersection location based on the host vehicle trajectory and the host vehicle brake status, determine a remote vehicle intent to approach the expected intersection location based on the remote vehicle trajectory and the remote vehicle brake status, and select a host vehicle response corresponding to the intersection scenario, the determined host vehicle intent, and the determined remote vehicle intent, the host vehicle response including one of performing an intervening threat mitigation operation and refraining from performing an operation.

6. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to select a warning issued by the host vehicle.

7. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to select the intersection scenario by determining whether the expected remote vehicle travel path includes turning left, turning right or travelling straight, and determining whether the expected host vehicle travel path includes turning left, turning right, or travelling straight.

15. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein

the navigation device is configured to generate the host vehicle information so as to include a host vehicle elevation, and the receiver is configured to receive the remote vehicle information including a remote vehicle elevation, and

the controller is configured to determine the expected intersection location by determining whether the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are substantially the same, and to select at least one of issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are substantially the same, and to refrain from performing the operation when the host vehicle elevation and the remote vehicle elevation are not substantially the same.

16. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to determine that the host vehicle intends to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the host vehicle velocity is greater than a threshold velocity, and

the host vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state and the brake status indicates a brake released state.

17. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to determine that the host vehicle lacks intent to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the host vehicle velocity indicates a moving state having a velocity less than a threshold velocity, and

the host vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state, and the brake status indicates a brake applied state.

18. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to determine the remote vehicle intends to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the remote vehicle velocity is greater than a threshold velocity, and

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state and the brake status indicates a brake released state.

19. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to determine that the remote vehicle lacks intent to approach to approach the expected intersection location when the controller determines one of the following:

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a moving state having a velocity less than a threshold velocity, and

the remote vehicle velocity indicates a stopped state, and the brake status indicates a brake applied state.

20. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to continually monitor a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location and determine whether potential to contact exists, and

configured to select the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the potential to contact is determined to exist, and includes refraining from performing the operation when the potential to contact is determined not to exist.

21. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 5, wherein

the controller is configured to select the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the host vehicle location is within a predetermined distance from the expected intersection location, and to refrain from performing an operation when the host vehicle location is greater than the predetermined distance from the expected intersection location.

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

the controller is configured to select the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the remote vehicle location is within a second predetermined distance from the expected intersection location, and to refrain from performing an operation when the remote vehicle location is greater than the second predetermined distance from the expected intersection location.

24. The vehicle intersection monitoring system according to claim 6, wherein

the controller is configured to continually monitor a location relationship between the host vehicle location and the remote vehicle location and determine whether potential to contact exists, and

configured to select issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when the potential to contact is determined to exist, and being configured to refrain from performing the issuing the warning and the performing the intervening threat mitigation operation when host vehicle brakes are applied.