Curve warning system

• US 20050251335A1
• Filed: 05/04/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Inventors: Ibrahim, Faroog Abdel-kareem
• Granted Patent: US 7,751,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0013 Optimal controllers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/30 Map- or contour-matching
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/08 Use of electric radiation detectors

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for warning a driver of upcoming curves in a road including. In general, a vehicle positioning module determines the vehicle'"'"'s position in a global positioning system and a map matching module determines the vehicle'"'"'s position on a map based on the position in the global positioning system. A look ahead module looks ahead on the map for a curve, determines a candidate list of probable driving paths through the curve, and from this candidate list determines the most likely path of the vehicle around the curve. A warning module then assesses the threat the upcoming curve poses to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for warning a driver of a vehicle approaching a curve at an excess speed, the system comprising:

a vehicle positioning module which determines the vehicle'"'"'s position in a global positioning system;

a map matching module which determines the vehicle'"'"'s position on a map based on the position in the global positioning system;

a look ahead module which looks ahead on the map for a curve, determines a candidate list of probable driving paths through the curve, and from this candidate list determines the most likely path of the vehicle around the curve; and

a warning module which assesses the threat the upcoming curve poses to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a map database which provides data for the map.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an integration module which receives satellite signals through a global positioning device and augments the satellite signals with signals from an inertial navigation system regarding vehicle behavior and provides the augmented signals to the vehicle positioning module.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the vehicle behavior includes the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle speed.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the look ahead module calculates the curvature of the most likely path.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the look ahead module calculates a look ahead distance.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning module calculates a curvature point of interest on the most likely path.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the warning module calculates the threat level of the curvature point of interest.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the warning module initiates a warning level based on the threat level.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the curvature point of interest is based on the curvature values of the road.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the curvature point of interest is based on the estimated road conditions.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the estimated road conditions are based on operating signals from the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the curvature point of interest is based on the driver'"'"'s reaction time.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the driver'"'"'s reaction time is based on the driver'"'"'s time of response to apply the brakes based on a previous warning.

15. A method for warning a driver of a vehicle approaching a curve at an excess speed, the method comprising:

determining the vehicle'"'"'s position in a global positioning system;

determining the vehicle'"'"'s position on a map based on the position in the global positioning system;

looking ahead on the map for a curve and determining a candidate list of probable driving paths through the curve, and from this candidate list determining the most likely path of the vehicle around the curve; and

assessing the threat the curve poses to the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the vehicle'"'"'s position on a map includes providing data for the map.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the vehicle'"'"'s position in a global positioning system includes receiving satellite signals through a global positioning device and augmenting the satellite signals with signals from an inertial navigation system regarding vehicle behavior.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle behavior includes the vehicle yaw rate and the vehicle speed.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein looking ahead calculates the curvature of the most likely path.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein looking ahead calculates a look ahead distance.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the assessing includes calculating a curvature point of interest on the most likely path.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the assessing includes calculating the threat level of the curvature point of interest.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising initiating a warning level based on the threat level.