DETERMINATION AND SIGNALLING TO A DRIVER OF A MOTOR VEHICLE OF A POTENTIAL COLLISION OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE WITH AN OBSTACLE

• US 20100127841A1
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Inventors: D'Ambrosio, Carlo, Ghiro, Andrea
• Granted Patent: US 8,669,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• 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 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Described herein is a method for determining and signalling to a driver of a motor vehicle a condition of danger deriving from a potential collision of the motor vehicle itself with an obstacle. The method is able to: determine a path of travel of the motor vehicle along a stretch of road; define an area of detection of the obstacles in the stretch of road; detect the obstacles present in the area of detection in such a way as to generate a list of possible obstacles that might be hit; identify, from among the possible obstacles detected, a main obstacle; determine a level of risk associated to a condition of impact of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle detected; and finally generate a signal or alarm message regarding the level of risk determined.

Claims

1. A method for determining and signalling to a driver of a motor vehicle a potential collision with an obstacle located along the path of the motor vehicle itself, the method comprising:

a) estimating the path (T) of the motor vehicle along a stretch of road;

b) defining an area of detection of obstacles (DECT) in the stretch of road;

c) determining obstacles in the area of detection of obstacles (DECT);

d) identifying a main obstacle from among the obstacles detected;

e) determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle; and

f) warning the driver on the basis of the level of risk determined.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle comprises:

determining the level of risk according to at least one of the following parameters;

time of reaction of the driver;

speed of the motor vehicle;

speed of the main road obstacle;

distance between the motor vehicle and the main road obstacle;

a safety distance between the motor vehicle and the main road obstacle; and

a parameter associated to the deceleration to be performed on the motor vehicle for driving the motor vehicle in conditions of safety.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle comprises determining a first level of risk or a second level of risk;

and wherein warning the driver on the basis of the level of risk determined comprises generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the first level of risk, a signal or message indicating to the user to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle, or generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the second level of risk, a signal or a message indicating to the user to apply the brakes and/or act on the steering wheel so as to avoid the road obstacle.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle comprises determining a first level of risk or a second level of risk;

and wherein warning the driver on the basis of the level of risk determined comprises generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the first level of risk, a signal or message indicating to the user to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle comprises determining a first level of risk or a second level of risk;

and wherein warning the driver on the basis of the level of risk determined comprises generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the second level of risk, a signal or a message indicating to the user to apply the brakes and/or act on the steering wheel so as to avoid the road obstacle.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a level of risk associated to a potential collision of the motor vehicle with the main obstacle comprises determining a first level of risk or a second level of risk;

and wherein warning the driver on the basis of the level of risk determined comprises generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the first level of risk, a signal or message indicating to the user to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle, and, generating, when the level of risk determined corresponds to the second level of risk, a signal or a message indicating to the user to apply the brakes and/or act on the steering wheel so as to avoid the road obstacle.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step b) comprises assigning to the area of detection (DECT) a first radius of curvature (R_min_static) in the case where the main road obstacle is stationary, or alternatively, a second radius of curvature (R_min_moving) different from the first radius of curvature (R_min_static) in the case where the main road obstacle is moving.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the step b) comprises calculating a first portion of area of detection (DECT_A) and a second portion of area of detection (DECT_B).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the first area of detection (DECT_A) has a substantially rectangular shape, extends at the front of the motor vehicle in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis (A) of the motor vehicle, and has a length (Lrw) determined according to a set of information supplied by image-acquisition means (5), and/or to the speed of the motor vehicle, and/or to the steering angle speed (LWA) of the motor vehicle itself.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the second portion (DECT_B) is delimited by two lateral curves (r_hos(x)) and (r_hod(_x)) that extend from the end of the first portion (DECT_A) in such that they both prolong in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis (A) of the motor vehicle, and intersect the longitudinal axis (A) in a intersection point (P).

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising the step of calculating the two curves of intersection (r_hos(x), r_hod(x)) that delimit the second portion (DECT_B) of the area of detection (DECT) in a pre-set reference system (X, Y) via the following function:

f(x)=mx+r_ho·

x².

12. A computer system for automobiles, characterized in that it is configured for determining and signalling to a driver of a motor vehicle a condition of danger deriving from a potential collision of the motor vehicle itself with an obstacle located along a path (T) of the motor vehicle, as claimed in claim 1.

13. A motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises a sensor system that is able to detect parameters indicating the displacement of the motor vehicle, and a computer system configured for receiving the parameters indicating the displacement of the motor vehicle detected by the sensor system, and for determining and signalling to a driver of the motor vehicle, on the basis of the parameters, a condition of danger deriving from a potential collision of the motor vehicle itself with an obstacle located along a path of the motor vehicle, as claimed in claim 1.

14. A computer-program product loadable into an electronic processing unit of a computer system of a motor vehicle and configurable in such a way that, when run, the computer system determines and signals to the driver of a motor vehicle a condition of danger deriving from a potential collision of the motor vehicle itself with an obstacle located along a path (T) of the motor vehicle, as claimed in claim 1.