DRIVE ASSIST SYSTEM AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20120330527A1
• Filed: 06/20/2012
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kumabe, Seigou, Yamashiro, Takahisa
• Granted Patent: US 8,892,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions

Abstract

A drive assist system includes: first and second wireless communication devices on first and second vehicles. The first wireless communication device includes: a first distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first and second vehicles; and a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance and a distance to the second vehicle obtained by a ranging sensor in the first vehicle. The second wireless communication device includes: a second distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the second and another second vehicles; and an inter-vehicle distance determination device for estimating an inter-vehicle distance between the second and another second vehicles based on the distance difference and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device, assuming the inter-vehicle distance is detected by a ranging sensor in the second vehicle.

Claims

1. A drive assist system for vehicles comprising:

a first wireless communication device mounted on a first vehicle equipped with a ranging sensor for detecting a distance to a object around the first vehicle and a first receiver of a satellite positioning system for successively positioning a first current location of the first vehicle; and

a second wireless communication device mounted on a second vehicle equipped with a second receiver of the satellite positioning system for successively positioning a second current location of the second vehicle,

wherein the first wireless communication device wirelessly communicates with the second wireless communication device, and the second wireless communication device wirelessly communicates with another second wireless communication device mounted on another second vehicle equipped with another second receiver of the satellite positioning system,

wherein the second wireless communication device successively transmits information about the second current location,

wherein the first wireless communication device includes;

a first distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the second current location and the first current location obtained by the first receiver when the first wireless communication device receives the information about the second current location from the second wireless communication device in the second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle or a following vehicle of the first vehicle; and

a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance calculated by the first distance calculation device and the distance to the second vehicle obtained by the ranging sensor,

wherein the first wireless communication device transmits information about the distance difference, calculated by the difference calculation device, to the second wireless communication device, and

wherein the second wireless communication device includes;

a second distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the another second current location and the second current location obtained by the second receiver when the second wireless communication device receives information about another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle of the second vehicle; and

an inter-vehicle distance determination device for estimating an inter-vehicle distance between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the distance difference and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device when the second wireless communication device receives the information about the distance difference from the first wireless communication device, assuming that the inter-vehicle distance is detected by a ranging sensor in the second vehicle.

2. The drive assist system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device stores information about an installment position of a respective receiver installed to a corresponding vehicle,

wherein the second wireless communication device transmits the information about the second current location together with a second installment position of the second receiver and a second driving direction of the second vehicle to the first wireless communication device,

wherein the first wireless communication device further includes a first installment position displacement determination device for determining whether there is a displacement in a vehicle width direction between a first installment position of the first receiver and the second installment position of the second receiver, based on the first installment position of the first receiver, a first driving direction of the first vehicle, the second installment position of the second receiver, and the second driving direction of the second vehicle, and

wherein the difference calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement, based on an amount of the displacement, so that the difference calculation device calculates a corrected distance difference when the first installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction between the first installment position of the first receiver and the second installment position of the second receiver.

3. The drive assist system according to claim 2,

wherein each of the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device obtains information about an azimuth angle of a respective vehicle,

wherein the second wireless communication device transmits the information about the second current location together with a second azimuth angle of the second vehicle,

wherein the first wireless communication device further includes a first azimuth displacement determination device for determining whether there is an azimuth displacement between a first azimuth angle of the first vehicle and the second azimuth angle of the second vehicle, based on the second azimuth angle received from the second wireless communication device and the first azimuth, and

wherein the difference calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement and the azimuth displacement, based on an amount of the displacement and an amount of the azimuth displacement, so that the difference calculation device calculates a corrected distance difference when the first installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction, and the first azimuth displacement determination device determines that there is the azimuth displacement.

4. The drive assist system according to claim 2,

wherein the second wireless communication device further includes a second installment position displacement determination device for determining whether there is displacement in a vehicle width direction between the second installment position of the second receiver and another second installment position of the another second receiver, based on the second installment position of the second receiver, the second driving direction of the second vehicle, the another second installment position of the another second receiver, and the another second driving direction of the another second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives the information about another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle,

wherein the second distance calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement, based on an amount of the displacement, so that the second distance calculation device calculates a corrected satellite positioning distance when the second installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance with using the corrected satellite positioning distance.

5. The drive assist system according to claim 4,

wherein the second wireless communication device further includes a second azimuth displacement determination device for determining whether there is an azimuth displacement between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle, based on the azimuth angle of the second vehicle and another azimuth angle of the another second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives the information about the another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle, and

wherein the second distance calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement in the vehicle width direction and the azimuth displacement, based on an amount of the displacement in the vehicle width direction and an amount of the azimuth displacement, so that the second distance calculation device calculates a corrected satellite positioning distance, when the second installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction between the second installment position of the second receiver and another second installment position of the another second receiver, and further, the second azimuth displacement determination device determines that there is the azimuth displacement between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance with using the corrected satellite positioning distance.

6. The drive assist system according to claim 1,

wherein the first wireless communication device transmits the information about the distance difference together with the information about the first current location of the fist vehicle,

wherein the second wireless communication device further includes a selection device for selecting one of the informations from a corresponding first wireless communication device, which is the nearest device of the second vehicle at the second current location, based on more than one information about the first current location and the second current location of the second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication device, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the distance difference of a selected one of the informations and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

7. The drive assist system according to claim 1,

wherein the first wireless communication device transmits the information about the distance difference together with the information about the first current location of the fist vehicle,

wherein the second wireless communication device further includes a weighted average device for assigning a greater weight to the information of the distance difference received from a corresponding first wireless communication device, which is a nearer device of the second vehicle at the second current location, based on more than one information about the first current location and the second current location of the second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication device, and for calculating a weighted average on a plurality of distance differences, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the weighted average on the distance differences and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

8. The drive assist system according to claim 1,

wherein the second wireless communication device further includes a representative value determination device for determining a representative value from a plurality of received distance differences, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication device, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the representative value of the received distance differences and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

9. The drive assist system according to claim 8,

wherein the representative value is an intermediate value of a plurality of the distance differences or an arithmetic average of a plurality of the distance differences.

10. A wireless communication device installed to a first vehicle equipped with a ranging sensor for detecting a distance to an object around the first vehicle and a first receiver of a satellite positioning system for positioning a first current location of the first vehicle, the wireless communication device wirelessly communicating with a second wireless communication device installed to a second vehicle equipped with a second receiver of the satellite positioning system for positioning a second current location of the second vehicle, and receiving information about the second current location from the second wireless communication device, the wireless communication device comprising:

a first distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the second current location and the first current location obtained by the first receiver, when the wireless communication device receives the information about the second current location from the second wireless communication device in the second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle or a following vehicle of the first vehicle; and

a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance calculated by the first distance calculation device and the distance to the second vehicle obtained by the ranging sensor,

wherein the wireless communication device transmits information about the distance difference, calculated by the difference calculation device.

11. The wireless communication device according to claim 10,

wherein the wireless communication device stores information about a first driving direction of the first vehicle and a first installment position of the first receiver installed to the first vehicle,

wherein the wireless communication device receives information about a second driving direction of the second vehicle and a second installment position of the second receiver installed to the second vehicle,

the wireless communication device further comprising:

a first installment position displacement determination device for determining whether there is a displacement in a vehicle width direction between the first installment position of the first receiver and the second installment position of the second receiver, based on the first installment position of the first receiver, the first driving direction of the first vehicle, the second installment position of the second receiver, and the second driving direction of the second vehicle, and

wherein the difference calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement in the vehicle width direction, based on an amount of the displacement, so that the difference calculation device calculates a corrected distance difference when the first installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction between the first installment position of the first receiver and the second installment position of the second receiver.

12. The wireless communication device according to claim 11,

wherein the wireless communication device obtains information about a first azimuth angle of the first vehicle,

wherein the wireless communication device receives information about a second azimuth angle of the second vehicle from the second wireless communication device,

the wireless communication device further comprising:

a first azimuth displacement determination device for determining whether there is an azimuth displacement between the first azimuth angle of the first vehicle and the second azimuth angle of the second vehicle, based on the second azimuth angle received from the second wireless communication device and the first azimuth, and

wherein the difference calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement in the vehicle width direction and the azimuth displacement, based on an amount of the displacement in the vehicle width direction and an amount of the azimuth displacement, so that the difference calculation device calculates a corrected distance difference when the first installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction, and the first azimuth displacement determination device determines that there is the azimuth displacement.

13. A wireless communication device installed to a second vehicle equipped with a second receiver of a satellite positioning system for positioning a second current location of the second vehicle, the wireless communication device wirelessly communicating with a first wireless communication device installed to a first vehicle equipped with a ranging sensor for detecting a distance to an object around the first vehicle and a first receiver of the satellite positioning system for positioning a first current location of the first vehicle, communicating with another second wireless communication device installed to another second vehicle equipped with another second receiver of the satellite positioning system for positioning another second current location of the another second vehicle, and receiving information about a distance difference, transmitted from and calculated by the first wireless communication device, between a satellite positioning distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle and a distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle obtained by the ranging sensor, wherein the satellite positioning distance is calculated by the first wireless communication device based on the first current location of the first vehicle calculated by the first receiver and the second current location of the second vehicle calculated by the second receiver, the wireless communication device comprising:

a second distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the another second current location and the second current location obtained by the second receiver when the second wireless communication device receives information about the another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle of the second vehicle; and

an inter-vehicle distance determination device for estimating an inter-vehicle distance between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the distance difference and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device when the second wireless communication device receives the information about the distance difference from the first wireless communication device, assuming that the inter-vehicle distance is detected by a ranging sensor in the second vehicle.

14. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a second installment position displacement determination device for determining whether there is displacement in a vehicle width direction between the second installment position of the second receiver and another second installment position of the another second receiver, based on the second installment position of the second receiver, the second driving direction of the second vehicle, the another second installment position of the another second receiver, and the another second driving direction of the another second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives the information about another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle,

wherein the second distance calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement in the vehicle width direction, based on an amount of the displacement, so that the second distance calculation device calculates a corrected satellite positioning distance when the second installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance with using the corrected satellite positioning distance.

15. The wireless communication device according to claim 14, further comprising:

a second azimuth displacement determination device for determining whether there is an azimuth displacement between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle, based on the azimuth angle of the second vehicle and another azimuth angle of the another second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives the information about the another second current location from the another second wireless communication device in the another second vehicle,

wherein the second distance calculation device corrects an error caused by the displacement in the vehicle width direction and the azimuth displacement, based on an amount of the displacement in the vehicle width direction and an amount of the azimuth displacement, so that the second distance calculation device calculates a corrected satellite positioning distance, when the second installment position displacement determination device determines that there is the displacement in the vehicle width direction between the second installment position of the second receiver and another second installment position of the another second receiver, and further, the second azimuth displacement determination device determines that there is the azimuth displacement between the second vehicle and the another second vehicle, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance with using the corrected satellite positioning distance.

16. The wireless communication device according to claim 13,

wherein the wireless communication device receives informations from more than one first wireless communication device, each of which transmits information about the distance difference together with information about the first current location of the fist vehicle,

the wireless communication device further comprising:

a selection device for selecting one of the informations from a corresponding first wireless communication device, which is the nearest device of the second vehicle at the second current location, based on more than one information about the first current location and the second current location of the second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication device,

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the distance difference of a selected one of the informations and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

17. The wireless communication device according to claim 13,

wherein the wireless communication device receives informations from more than one first wireless communication device, each of which transmits information about the distance difference together with information about the first current location of the fist vehicle,

the wireless communication device further comprising:

a weighted average device for assigning a greater weight to the information of the distance difference received from a corresponding first wireless communication device, which is a nearer device of the second vehicle at the second current location, based on more than one information about the first current location and the second current location of the second vehicle, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication devices, and for calculating a weighted average on a plurality of distance differences, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the weighted average on the distance differences and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

18. The wireless communication device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a representative value determination device for determining a representative value from a plurality of received distance differences, when the second wireless communication device receives more than one information about the distance difference from more than one first wireless communication device, and

wherein the inter-vehicle distance determination device estimates the inter-vehicle distance based on the representative value of the received distance differences and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device.

19. A drive assist system for vehicles comprising:

a first wireless communication device mounted on a first vehicle equipped with a ranging sensor for detecting a distance to an object around the first vehicle and a first receiver of a satellite positioning system for successively positioning a first current location of the first vehicle;

a second wireless communication device mounted on a second vehicle equipped with a second receiver of the satellite positioning system for successively positioning a second current location of the second vehicle;

another second wireless communication device mounted on another second vehicle equipped with another second receiver of the satellite positioning system for successively positioning another second current location of the another second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle or a following vehicle of the first vehicle,

wherein the first wireless communication device wirelessly communicates with the second wireless communication device and the another second wireless communication device,

wherein the second wireless communication device successively transmits information about the second current location,

wherein the first wireless communication device includes;

a first distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the second current location and the first current location obtained by the first receiver when the first wireless communication device receives the information about the second current location from the second wireless communication device in the second vehicle, which is a leading vehicle or a following vehicle of the first vehicle; and

a difference calculation device for calculating a distance difference between the satellite positioning distance calculated by the first distance calculation device and the distance to the second vehicle obtained by the ranging sensor,

wherein the first wireless communication device transmits information about the distance difference, calculated by the difference calculation device, to another second wireless communication device,

wherein the another second wireless communication device includes;

a second distance calculation device for calculating a satellite positioning distance between the first vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the another second current location and the first current location obtained by the first receiver when the another second wireless communication device receives information about the first current location from the first wireless communication device in the first vehicle; and

an inter-vehicle distance determination device for estimating an inter-vehicle distance between the first vehicle and the another second vehicle based on the distance difference and the satellite positioning distance calculated by the second distance calculation device when the another second wireless communication device receives the information about the distance difference from the first wireless communication device, assuming that the inter-vehicle distance is detected by a ranging sensor in the another second vehicle.