SITE MAP INTERFACE FOR VEHICULAR APPLICATION

• US 20100100325A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation), Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Richardson, James Joseph, Lovell, Jeffrey Clark, Caminiti, Lorenzo
• Granted Patent: US 9,672,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for transferring data between an object detection system and a collision processing circuit is provided. The object detection system includes sensors configured to provide coverage of and detect movement within a predetermined area. The object detection system further includes a path predicting circuit and a plotting circuit operable to predict and plot the location of detected objects. The system further includes a map definition of the predetermined area, a grid system plotted onto the predetermined area, and environmental information relating to the predetermined area, and a series of overlays. Each overlay is plotted with the grid system and the predicted location of the detected objects. The object detection system transmits the map definition and series of overlays to the collision processing circuit so as to determine a probability of a collision.

Claims

1. A system for transferring data between an object detection system and a collision processing circuit, the object detection system including a plurality of sensors configured to provide coverage of a predetermined area, and wherein the plurality of sensors are also configured to detect the movement of the objects within the predetermined area, the object detection system further including a path predicting circuit and a plotting circuit, wherein the path predicting circuit predicts the path of the detected objects within the predetermined area and the plotting circuit plots the predicted location of the detected objects, and wherein the object detection system is in communication with the collision processing circuit, the system comprising:

a map definition including the predetermined area of the object detection system and a grid system plotted onto the predetermined area, wherein the grid system is defined by a plurality of grid cells, the map definition includes environmental information relating to the predetermined area, and wherein the map definition is transmitted from the object detection system to the collision processing circuit at a predetermined time; and

a series of overlays, each of the series of overlays plotted with the grid system, and wherein each of the series of overlays further includes the plotted location of the detected objects at a predetermined time, and the object detection system transmits the series of overlays to the collision processing circuit so as to determine a probability of a collision.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including at least one cycle of data transmitted by the object detection system to the collision processing circuit, wherein the at least one cycle of data includes the series of overlays.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of the series of overlays is separated from the other by a predetermined interval of time.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the collision processing circuit process each of the series of overlay so as to generate a probability of a collision in each of the plurality of grid cells.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4, further including an aggregation circuit operable to calculate the probability of a collision in each of the grid cells of the grid system of each of the series of overlays.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5, further including a threshold, wherein the collision processing circuit is operable to filter each grid cell having a value lower than the threshold from further processing, and wherein the collision processing circuit generates a collision prediction when any of the series of overlays includes a value greater than or equal to the threshold.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1, further including a warning system in communication with the collision predicting circuit, wherein tie warning system is operable to provide a warning when the collision processing circuit generates a predetermined probability of a collision.

8. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the at least one cycle of data further includes the map definition, and wherein the map definition is first processed by the collision processing circuit.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the environmental information relating to the predetermined area includes the location and orientation of infrastructure located within the predetermined area, the signal phase and timing of traffic lights located within the predetermined area, identified blind spots present in the predetermined area, and traffic signals.

10. A method for transferring data between an object detection system and a collision processing circuit, wherein the object detection system includes a plurality of sensors configured to provide coverage of a predetermined area, and wherein the plurality of sensors are also configured to detect the movement of the objects within the predetermined area, and wherein the object detection system farther includes a path predicting circuit and a plotting circuit, and wherein the path predicting circuit predicts the path of the detected objects within the predetermined area and the plotting circuit plots the predicted location of the detected objects at a given time, and wherein the object detection system is in communication with the collision processing circuit, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a map definition, the map definition including a grid system having a plurality of grid cells plotted onto the predetermined area, and wherein the map definition includes environmental information relating to the predetermined area;

gathering dynamic information relating to each of the detected objects at a predetermined time; and

transmitting the map definition and the dynamic information to the collision processing circuit, wherein the collision processing circuit is operable to process the map definition and the dynamic information so as to determine a probability of a collision.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, farther including the step of generating a series of overlays, wherein each of the series of overlays is plotted with dynamic information of the detected objects at a predetermined time.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein each of the series of overlays is separated from the other by a predetermined interval of time.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, further including the step of generating a cycle of data, wherein the cycle of data includes the series of overlays, and wherein each of the series of overlays is separated from the other by a predetermined interval of time.

14. The method as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of providing a location and orientation of infrastructure located within the predetermined area, a signal phase and timing of traffic lights located within the predetermined area, identified blind spots present in the predetermined area, and traffic signals to the map definition.

15. A data transmission, the data transmission directed towards providing data used for determining a probability of a collision, wherein the data transmission is transmitted between an object detection system to a collision processing circuit, and wherein the object detection system includes a plurality of sensors configured to provide coverage of a predetermined area, and wherein the plurality of sensors are also configured to detect the movement of the objects within the predetermined area, and wherein the object detection system further includes a path predicting circuit and a plotting circuit, and wherein the path predicting circuit predicts the path of the detected objects within the predetermined area and the plotting circuit plots the predicted location of the detected objects at a given time, and wherein the object detection system is in communication with the collision processing circuit, the data transmission comprising:

a map definition including the predetermined area of the object detection system and a grid system plotted onto the predetermined area, wherein the grid system is defined by a plurality of grid cells, the map definition includes environmental information relating to the predetermined area, and wherein the map definition is transmitted from the object detection system to the system vehicle at a predetermined time; and

a series of overlays, each of the series of overlays is plotted with the grid system, and wherein each of the series of overlays further includes the plotted location of the detected objects at a predetermined time, and wherein the object detection system transmits the series of overlays to the collision processing circuit.

16. The data transmission as set forth in claim 15, further including at least one cycle of data transmitted by the object detection system to the collision processing circuit, wherein the at least one cycle of data includes the series of overlays.

17. The data transmission as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of the series of overlays is separated from the other by a predetermined interval of time.