Device for warning the driver of a motor vehicle of dangers by radio

• US 6,798,354 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), Mitsui Chemicals Incorporated (Mitsui Chemicals)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Schuessler, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk, Samuel J.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,932
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/995.13, 340/995.27, 340/995.28, 340/471, 340/435, 340/436, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A device for the radio-transmission of a hazard warning to the driver of a motor vehicle includes a data transmission device for transmitting and receiving data. The data transmission device exchanges data with data transmission devices of other motor vehicles, including data to warn other motor vehicles of the hazard, evaluates received data and outputs warning signals to the driver when a hazard is detected. The transmitted data includes information on the position, speed and direction of travel of the transmitting motor vehicle, as well as the type of road on which the transmitting motor vehicle is moving. The information on the position, the type of road and the direction of travel is generated by a navigation system. A warning zone around the current position of the transmitting vehicle is calculated by a computer unit and emitted by means of the data transmission device.

Claims

1. Apparatus for radio-transmission of a warning to a driver of a motor vehicle, said apparatus comprising a data transmission device for transmitting and receiving data to and from data transmission devices of other motor vehicles, including data to warn other motor vehicles of a hazard, said data comprising information on position, speed and direction of travel of the transmitting motor vehicle and type of road on which the transmitting motor vehicle is moving, and said apparatus further comprising means for evaluating received data and outputting warning signals to the driver when a hazard is detected;

wherein;

the information concerning the position, type of road and direction of travel is generated by a navigation system;

a warning zone around a current position of the transmitting vehicle is calculated by a computer unit and transmitted by the data transmission device; and

the warning zone, in the form of a radius around the position of the transmitting vehicle, is calculated as a function of a minimum pre-warning time, a system-dependent delay, a current speed of the transmitting motor vehicle, an approaching speed and a system-dependent position error.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the computer unit of a receiving motor vehicle checks the relevance of a received hazard warning, using digital maps of the navigation system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data transmission device is activated by the driver by means of a manual switch, or automatically by means of a computer unit as a function of evaluation of internal sensor data.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted data includes information on whether the transmitting vehicle itself constitutes the source of the hazard or the transmitting vehicle is emitting the hazard warning on behalf of another road user.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein position of the source of the hazard is represented on an output unit of the navigation system.