METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST

• US 20150145661A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Beggs, Ryan P., Boerger, James C., Hoffmann, David J., Markham, Ken, McNeill, Matthew, Muhl, Timothy, Nelson, Kyle, Oates, James, Senfleben, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,547,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2673 on parts worn by the driver, e.g. clothes, gloves or bags, specially adapted to provide auxiliary vehicle signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2800/20 Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, each having their own characteristics of movement, includes sampling movement of each entity at least two points in time, generating a trajectory vector for each entity based on the movement sampling, expanding the trajectory vector of each entity based on at least one characteristic of movement of that entity, and analyzing the expanded trajectory vector of each entity for overlap to assess a possibility of a collision between the entities of interest.

Claims

1. A method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, each having their own characteristics of movement, the method comprising:

sampling movement of each entity at least two points in time;

generating a trajectory vector for each entity based on the movement sampling;

expanding the trajectory vector of each entity based on at least one characteristic of movement of that entity; and

analyzing the expanded trajectory vector of each entity for overlap to assess a possibility of a collision between the entities of interest.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a warning signal when one expanded trajectory vector of an entity overlaps with another expanded trajectory vector of another entity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a speed and direction of each entity when generating the trajectory vector for each entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sampling movement of each entity comprises obtaining a first data point for each entity and a second data point for each entity at a predetermined interval of time from the first data point.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an expansion factor when expanding the trajectory vector of each entity.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising calculating the expansion factor for each entity based on at least one of a speed range of the entity, an acceleration capability of the entity, or an agility of the entity.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising mathematically applying the expansion factor of each entity to the respective trajectory vector when expanding the trajectory vector of each entity.

8. A method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, each having their own characteristics of movement, the method comprising:

sampling movement of each entity at least two points in time;

generating a trajectory vector for each entity based on the movement sampling;

analyzing the trajectory vector of each entity; and

determining a proximity between the trajectory vector for each entity to assess a possibility of a collision between the entities of interest.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising comparing the proximity between each entity of the entities of interest to a proximity threshold indicative of a hazardous condition.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating a warning when one trajectory vector of an entity is less than the proximity threshold relative to another trajectory vector of another entity.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining the proximity threshold based on at least one of a speed range of an entity, an acceleration capability of an entity, or an agility of an entity.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a speed and direction of each entity when generating the trajectory vector for each entity.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein sampling movement of each entity comprises obtaining a first data point for each entity and a second data point for each entity at a predetermined interval of time from the first data point.

14. A method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, the method comprising:

creating a safety zone surrounding each entity;

modifying the safety zone for each entity based on a first characteristic of movement of that entity; and

analyzing the modified safety zone of each entity for overlap to assess a possibility for a collision between the entities.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating a warning signal when a first modified zone of a first entity overlaps a second modified zone of a second entity.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first characteristic of movement or a second characteristic of movement of a respective entity comprises at least one of a range of speed, a direction of travel of the entity, or a position of a vehicle steering.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising modifying the safety zone based on an experience level of an operator of each entity.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining whether the entities of interest are within a distance of interest relative to each other.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining if a barrier exists between the entities of interest that are determined to be within the distance of interest.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising modifying the safety zone for each entity based on a second characteristic of movement of that entity

21. A method for assessing a possibility of a collision between entities of interest, the method comprising:

creating a first safety zone surrounding a first entity of interest;

modifying the first safety zone for the first entity based on a characteristic of movement of the first entity;

analyzing the safety zone for a second entity of interest; and

generating a warning signal to warn the second entity of interest detected in the modified safety zone of a proximity of the first entity.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising determining whether a distance between the first entity of interest and the second entity of interest is less than a distance of interest threshold prior to generating the warning signal, and generating the warning signal when the distance is less than the distance of interest threshold.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising determining whether a barrier is positioned between the first and second entities of interest if the first and second entities of interest are within the distance of interest.