System and method for improving vehicle wrong-way detection

• US 9,849,834 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc. (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Reed, Eric L., Bennie, Brian, Miller, Thomas Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKKI, MUNEAR T
• Application Number:
  US14/301,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20150360610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 340903, 340436, 340435, 340933, 340935, 340936, 340937, 340938, 340905, 340438, 340995, 34053913, 340426, 340575, 340576, 701301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving vehicle wrong-way detection including systems, sensors or features, such as those for system/network clocks, ambient light, driver impairment, automatic cruise control, blind spot warning or configurable vehicle security, either singly or in any combination therewith, may refine and/or modify the confidence level of detecting particular or potential wrong-way incidents. By modifying the confidence level, the system may change the system sensitivity by moving the cutoff point at which an alert activation takes place. The systems described above can modify the wrong-way detection sensitivity. Greater confidence, or system sensitivity, may also help enable the system to take further actions beyond a simple warning. At greater confidence levels, the system could intervene, by way of a non-limiting example, with throttle limiting, turning on the hazard lights or even bringing the vehicle to a stop.

Claims

1. A vehicle wrong-way detection system, comprising:

an alert system selectively operable to alert a driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is travelling the wrong way on a roadway;

a vehicle control system in communication with the alert system, the vehicle control system including at least two of the following vehicle subsystems;

a clock subsystem selectively operable to determine a time of day;

an ambient light subsystem selectively operable to determine an ambient light level outside of the vehicle;

a driver impairment subsystem selectively operable to monitor vehicle lane tracking and based thereon determine a level of driver impairment;

an automatic cruise control subsystem selectively operable to determine if the vehicle is following another vehicle travelling in the same direction;

a blind spot warning subsystem selectively operable to determine if another vehicle is in the blind spot of the vehicle; and

a configurable vehicle security subsystem selectively operable to determine an identity of the driver of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a confidence level or sensitivity level of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold based on said vehicle subsystem determinations and without monitoring driver action.

2. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a cutoff point of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold.

3. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to modify vehicle operation independent of driver input in response to the alert.

4. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to modify a performance parameter of the vehicle selected from the group consisting of limiting of a throttle position of the vehicle, turning on a hazard light of the vehicle, bringing the vehicle to a stop and combinations thereof independent of driver input.

5. A vehicle wrong-way detection system, comprising:

an alert system selectively operable to alert a driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is travelling the wrong way on a roadway;

a vehicle control system in communication with the alert system, the vehicle control system including at least two of the following vehicle subsystems;

a clock subsystem selectively operable to determine a time of day;

an ambient light subsystem selectively operable to determine an ambient light level outside of the vehicle;

a driver impairment subsystem selectively operable to monitor vehicle lane tracking and based thereon to determine a level of driver impairment;

an automatic cruise control subsystem selectively operable to determine if the vehicle is following another vehicle travelling in the same direction;

a blind spot warning subsystem selectively operable to determine if another vehicle is in the blind spot of the vehicle; and

a configurable vehicle security subsystem selectively operable to determine an identity of the driver of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a confidence level or sensitivity level of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold based on said vehicle subsystem determinations and without monitoring driver action.

6. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a cutoff point of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold.

7. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to modify vehicle operation independent of driver input in response to the alert.

8. The vehicle wrong-way detection system according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to modify a performance parameter of the vehicle selected from the group consisting of limiting of a throttle position of the vehicle, turning on a hazard light of the vehicle, bringing the vehicle to a stop and combinations thereof independent of driver input.

9. A vehicle wrong-way detection system, comprising:

an alert system selectively operable to alert a driver of the vehicle that the vehicle is travelling the wrong way on a roadway;

a vehicle control system in communication with the alert system, the vehicle control system including;

a clock subsystem selectively operable to determine a time of day;

an ambient light subsystem selectively operable to determine an ambient light level outside of the vehicle;

a driver impairment subsystem selectively operable to determine a level of driver impairment;

an automatic cruise control subsystem selectively operable to determine if the vehicle is following another vehicle travelling in the same direction;

a blind spot warning subsystem selectively operable to determine if another vehicle is in the blind spot of the vehicle; and

a configurable vehicle security subsystem selectively operable to determine an identity of the driver of the vehicle;

wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a confidence level or sensitivity level of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold;

wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to either raise or lower a cutoff point of the alert system to cause the alert to be issued either sooner or later than a pre-determined baseline threshold;

wherein the vehicle control system is selectively operable to modify a performance parameter of the vehicle in response to the alert;

wherein the performance parameter of the vehicle is selected from the group consisting of limiting of a throttle position of the vehicle, turning on a hazard light of the vehicle, bringing the vehicle to a stop and combinations thereof based on at least two of said vehicle subsystem determinations and independent of driver input.