Vehicle pre-impact sensing and control system with driver response feedback

• US 20060109094A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Prakah-Asante, Kwaku O., Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,253,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• 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 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A vehicle pre-impact sensing and control system generates tailored adaptive warning signals as a function of driver vehicle use. The tailored signals are used in a vehicle controller for determining appropriate driver warning or safety device activations.

Claims

1. A warning system for a host vehicle comprising:

at least one driver controlled device generating control signals as a function of host vehicle operation; and

a driver response feedback unit comprising predetermined adaptive warning levels, said feedback unit further comprising logic computing driver behavior over time as a function of said control device signals, said feedback unit comparing said driver behavior over time with said predetermined adaptive warning levels and generating a driver response signal as a function of said comparison.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said driver controlled device comprises a brake pedal or an acceleration pedal.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one remote sensor coupled to the host vehicle and sensing an area in a direction of travel of the host vehicle and generating a sensor signal therefrom; and

a decision-making computation controller comprising logic determining that sensor signal indicates a possible collision, said logic further activating adaptive warning devices as a function of said potential collision and at least one of said driver response signal or a braking pressure command signal generated by said driver response feedback unit.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said decision-making computation controller further comprises a host vehicle situation awareness unit receiving host vehicle dynamics signals from host vehicle sensors and target object kinematics information from said remote sensor, said host vehicle situation awareness unit generating an awareness signal as a function of said host vehicle dynamics and said target object kinematics information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said controller further comprises a safety system activation computation unit determining appropriate driver warning activation as a function of said awareness signal and said driver response signal.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising an adaptive warning system activated in response to signals from said controller.

7. The system of claim 4 further comprising an accelerometer generating one of said host vehicle dynamics signals.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a control switch operable by a driver setting vehicle response as a function of driver characteristics.

9. A method for pre-impact sensing and control for a vehicle and vehicle driver comprising:

tracking vehicle operation characteristics of the driver;

tuning at least one of driver warning intensity or driver warning time as a function of said vehicle operation characteristics;

warning the driver of potential collisions as a function of said tuning; and

monitoring, as a function of brake operation, driver response characteristics to said warning.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of tuning further comprises tuning said warning intensity or said driver warning time for an aggressive driver, a passive driver, an elderly driver, an average drive, or an inexperienced driver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said step of tuning further comprises determining which driver category the driver belongs as a function of at least one of consistent hard-braking or consistent aggressive accelerator operation.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising activating occupant safety systems as a function of said driver response characteristics to said warning.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising activating or assisting driver braking in response to driver response characteristics.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein warning the driver of potential collisions as a function of said tuning further comprises sensing a target object in an operational path of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein warning the driver of potential collisions as a function of said tuning further comprises determining kinematics of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein warning the driver of potential collisions as a function of said tuning further comprises predicting future positions of the vehicle and said target object.

17. A safety system for a host vehicle and a driver comprising:

at least one of an acceleration pedal or a brake pedal generating control device signals as a function of host vehicle operation;

at least one remote sensor coupled to the host vehicle and sensing an object in a direction of travel of the host vehicle and generating a sensor signal in response thereto;

a driver response feedback unit comprising predetermined adaptive warning levels, said feedback unit further comprising logic tracking driver behavior over time as a function of said control device signals, said feedback unit comparing said driver behavior over time with said predetermined adaptive warning levels and generating a driver response signal as a function of said comparison; and

a decision-making computation controller comprising logic generating potential collision warning signals for the driver as a function of said driver response signal and host vehicle and target object kinematics, said logic further monitoring, as a function of brake operation, driver response characteristics to said warning signals, said controller activating vehicle safety systems as a function of said driver response characteristics.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller logic comparing said driver behavior over time with said predetermined adaptive warning levels further comprises determining an aggressive driver, a passive drive, an elderly driver, an average driver, or an inexperienced driver.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said controller logic comparing said driver behavior over time with said predetermined adaptive warning levels further comprises determining which driver category the driver belongs as a function of at least one of consistent hard-braking, consistent soft-braking, consistent aggressive accelerator operation, consistent moderate accelerator operation, or consistent passive accelerator operation.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller activates or assists driver braking as a function of driver accelerator release rate, brake position, adaptive warning levels, and tunable gains.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said controller further determines whether a safety countermeasure is required and which countermeasure may be required.

22. The system of claim 17 further comprising a control switch, operable by the driver, setting vehicle response as a function of driver characteristics.