Collision detection system and method of estimating miss distance

• US 7,016,782 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schiffmann, Jan K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/158,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 701/301, 701/302, 340/901, 340/903, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/436, 342/29, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/505 using Doppler effect for determining closest range to a target or corresponding time, e.g. miss-distance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

A collision detection system and method of estimating a miss distance are provided. The collision detection system includes a sensor for sensing an object in a field of view. The sensor measures range and range rate of the object. The collision detection system further includes a controller for estimating a miss distance as a function of the measured range and range rate, without requiring a measured azimuth angle measurement.

Claims

1. A collision detection system comprising:

an object detection sensor for sensing an object in a field of view and for measuring range to the object and range rate of the object; and

a controller for estimating a miss distance of the object as a function of the measured range and range rate, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance absent an azimuth angle measurement of the object.

2. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller further estimates a miss angle of the object as a function of the measured range rate, and wherein the miss distance is estimated as a function of the measured range and estimated miss angle.

3. The collision detection system as defined in claim 2, wherein the controller further estimates speed of the object, and wherein the estimated miss angle is estimated as a function of the measured range rate and estimated speed.

4. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor is located on a vehicle and the estimated miss distance of the object is relative to the vehicle.

5. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing a non-linear filter.

6. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing an extended Kalman filter.

7. The collision detection system as defined in claim 6, wherein the extended Kalman filter includes state variables comprising range, miss angle, and speed of the object.

8. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing a linear filter.

9. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing a Kalman filter.

10. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a radar sensor, wherein the range rate measurement is determined based on a Doppler effect.

11. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of sensors for sensing an object in a field of view.

12. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the estimated miss distance is the estimated distance to the object at the closest point of approach to the sensor.

13. The collision detection system as defined in claim 1, wherein the controller compares the miss distance to a threshold and generates a collision output signal as a function of the comparison.

14. A collision detection system for detecting a miss distance to an object, said system comprising:

an object detection sensor for sensing an object and measuring range to the object and range rate of the object; and

a controller for estimating a miss angle of the object as a function of the measured range rate, said controller further estimating a miss distance of the object as a function of the measured range and the estimated miss angle.

15. The collision detection system as defined in claim 14, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance absent an azimuth angle measurement of the object.

16. The collision detection system as defined in claim 14, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing a Kalman filter.

17. The collision detection system as defined in claim 14, wherein the controller estimates the miss distance by employing an extended Kalman filter.

18. The collision detection system as defined in claim 14, wherein the controller further estimates speed of the object, wherein the estimated miss angle is estimated as a function of the measured range rate and estimated speed.

19. The collision detection system as defined in claim 14, wherein the sensor is located on a vehicle and the estimated miss distance of the object is relative to the vehicle.

20. A method of estimating a miss distance of an object, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of an object with an object detection sensor;

tracking the object;

measuring range to the object;

measuring range rate of the object; and

estimating a miss distance to the object as a function of the measured range and range rate, wherein the estimation of the miss distance is computed absent an azimuth angle measurement of the object.

21. The method as defined in claim 20 further comprising the steps of:

estimating a miss angle of the object as a function of the measured range rate; and

estimating the miss distance as a function of the measured range and estimated miss angle.

22. The method as defined in claim 21 further comprising the step of estimating speed of the object, wherein the estimated miss angle is estimated as a function of the measured range rate and estimated speed.

23. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the steps of measuring range of the object and range rate of the object comprises sensing the object with a radar sensor, wherein range rate is determined based on a Doppler effect.

24. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the miss distance estimation is relative to a vehicle.

25. The method as defined in claim 20 further comprising the step of generating an output signal indicative of a vehicle collision as a function of the miss distance.

26. The method as defined in claim 25, wherein the miss distance is compared to a threshold value, and the output signal is generated based on the comparison.

27. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the step of estimating the miss distance comprises the use of a Kalman filter.

28. The method as defined in claim 20, wherein the step of estimating the miss distance comprises the use of an extended Kalman filter.

29. A method of estimating a miss distance of an object, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of an object with an object detection sensor;

tracking the object;

measuring range to the object;

measuring range rate of the object;

estimating a miss angle of the object as a function of the measured range rate; and

estimating a miss distance of the object as a function of the measured range and the estimated miss angle.

30. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of estimating the miss distance is performed absent an azimuth angle measurement of the object.

31. The method as defined in claim 29 further comprising the step of estimating speed of the object, wherein the estimated miss angle is estimated as a function of the measured range rate and estimated speed.

32. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the miss distance estimation is relative to a vehicle.

33. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of estimating the miss distance comprises the use of a Kalman filter.

34. The method as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of estimating the miss distance comprises the use of an extended Kalman filter.