System and method for providing a safety zone associated with a vehicle

• US 20060293856A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Derbez, Eric, Moorehead, Stewart, Ackerman, Chad Alan, Puhalla, Jeffrey Scott, Stephens, Scott Adam, Foessel, Alex Dietrich
• Granted Patent: US 8,364,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/20 Static objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/10 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves

Abstract

A sensing system collects position data associated with one or more obstacles within a certain range of a vehicle. A former establishes an occupancy grid based on the collected position data. A motion monitoring module determines a reaction distance and a deceleration distance associated with a vehicle at a regular time interval during an operational state. A safety guidance module establishes a safety zone (e.g., safety zone grid) for the regular time interval based on the occupancy grid, the determined reaction distance, and the deceleration distance.

Claims

1. A method for providing a safety zone associated with a vehicle, the method comprising:

collecting position data associated with one or more obstacles within a certain range of a vehicle;

establishing an occupancy grid or matrix based on the collected position data;

determining a reaction distance and a deceleration distance associated with a vehicle at a regular interval during an operational state; and

determining a safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the determined reaction distance and the deceleration distance.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a safety margin distance in a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the determining of the safety zone comprises determining the safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the reaction distance, the deceleration distance, and the safety margin distance;

the safety margin distance selected based on a perception of at least one of an operator of the vehicle and a bystander.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

establishing a first safety margin area having a first dimension in the direction of travel of the vehicle and a second safety margin area have a primary dimension generally perpendicular to the direction of travel; and

wherein the determining comprises determining the safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the determining reaction distance, the deceleration distance, and the first dimension of the first safety zone.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

controlling a vehicular speed or vehicular velocity consistent with the safety zone.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

limiting a vehicular speed or vehicular velocity to a maximum speed consistent with a size of the safety zone such that the vehicle is capable of stopping or avoiding a collision with the obstacle.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

defining a boundary of the safety zone by the sum of the reaction distance (d_A) and the deceleration distance (d_B) in accordance with the following set of equations;

d_A=v_A×

t_R, where v_A is current vehicular velocity and t_R is reaction time;

d_B=v_A²/2a_B, where v_A is current vehicular velocity, and a_B is the maximum deceleration rate.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the safety zone comprises a first generally annular region having a first radial dimension associated with a reaction distance, and a second generally annular region having a second radial dimension associated with a deceleration distance.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the safety zone further comprises a third generally annular region having a third redial dimension associate with a safety margin distance.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the safety zone comprises a primary safety area having a generally rectangular shape with first boundary defined by a sum of the reaction distance and the deceleration distance.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the safety zone comprises a primary safety area bounded by a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and an arc boundary defined by a sum of the reaction distance and the deceleration distance.

11. A system for providing a safety zone associated with a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensing system for collecting position data associated with one or more obstacles within a certain range of a vehicle;

a former for establishing an occupancy grid or matrix based on the collected position data;

a motion monitoring module for determining a reaction distance and a deceleration distance associated with a vehicle at a regular interval during an operational state; and

a safety guidance module for determining a safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the determined reaction distance and the deceleration distance.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

a definer for establishing a safety margin distance in a direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein the safety guidance module is arranged to determine the safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the reaction distance, the deceleration distance, and the safety margin distance;

the safety margin distance selected based on a perception of at least one of an operator of the vehicle and a bystander.

13. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

a definer for establishing a first safety margin area having a first dimension in the direction of travel of the vehicle and a second safety margin area have a primary dimension generally perpendicular to the direction of travel; and

wherein the safety guidance module is arranged to determine the safety zone based on the occupancy grid or matrix, the determining reaction distance, the deceleration distance, and the first dimension of the first safety zone.

14. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

a vehicle controller for controlling a vehicular speed or vehicular velocity consistent with the safety zone.

15. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

a vehicle controller for limiting a vehicular speed or vehicular velocity to a maximum velocity such that the vehicle is capable of stopping or avoiding a collision with the obstacle.

16. The system according to claim 11 further comprising:

a safety guidance module for defining a boundary of the safety zone by the sum of the reaction distance (d_A) and the deceleration distance (d_B) in accordance with the following set of equations;

d_A=v_A×

t_R, where v_A is current vehicular velocity and t_R is reaction time;

d_B=v_A²/2a_B, where v_A is current vehicular velocity, and a_B is the maximum deceleration rate.

17. The system according to claim 11 wherein the safety zone comprises a first generally annular region having a first radial dimension associated with a reaction distance, and a second generally annular region having a second radial dimension associated with a deceleration distance.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the safety zone further comprises a third generally annular region having a third radial dimension associated with a safety margin distance.

19. The system according to claim 11 wherein the safety zone comprises a primary safety area having a generally rectangular shape with first boundary defined by the sum of the reaction distance and the deceleration distance.

20. The system according to claim 11 wherein the safety zone comprises a primary safety area bounded by a minimum turning radius of the vehicle and an arc boundary defined by a sum of the reaction distance and the deceleration distance.