Collision prevention system for vehicles

• US 7,109,854 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2002
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Dobler, Guenter, Marwitz, Hartmut, Enigk, Holger, Rothe, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US10/477,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,599 Days
• Field of Search: 340435-437, 340/431, 701/96, 701/301, 280274-285
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for preventing collisions of an automobile with obstacles. Sensors mounted in the automobile detect the area surrounding the vehicle. The signals of said sensors are evaluated by a data processing device in order to calculate the available obstacle-free driving space. Other sensors additionally detect the position of all movable vehicle parts (e.g. a trailer) and the dynamic parameters of the current driving situation (e.g. speed, steering angle, etc.). Based on said data, the driving speed required during the following time intervals in order to continue driving is calculated in advance by the data processing device and compared with the actually available obstacle-free driving space that has been detected. Said comparison provides early forecast regarding a possible collision. The driver is warned of a possible collision danger by corresponding warning devices and can consequently react in time. In critical situations (e.g. high driving speed), direct interventions in the control of the vehicle by the data processing device can take place to assist the driver.

Claims

1. A method far preventing a vehicle colliding with obstacles, comprising

(a) calculating in a first step the driving space required for maneuvering of the vehicle by entering into a memory associated with a computer the current dimensions, configuration, and turning characteristics of the vehicle including any structure carried on the vehicle and trailer connected to the vehicle, wherein more than one configuration of the vehicle is pre-programmed into said memory and available for recall,

(b) continuously updating the required driving space using sensors associated with at least one of steering wheel position, vehicle carried structure position, and trailer angle relative to the vehicle,

(c) sensing in three dimensions the distance between the vehicle and both fixed and moving obstacles in the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings,

(d) creating in the computer a model of the available driving space based on the product of step (a) and (b) as well as stored or sensed road information and the sensed distance values to fixed and moving obstacles from step (c),

(e) sensing instantaneous values relating to the movement, including at least one of speed, direction of travel, and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle,

(f) calculating, from the product of steps (a)—

(e), the driving space required to continue safe movement of the vehicle,

(g) carrying out a comparison between the existing driving space as determined in steps (a) and (b) and the required driving space calculated in step (f), and

(h) initiating via the computer measures for preventing collisions when the required driving space extends beyond the existing driving space.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the values of the dimensions of the vehicle in wire-free fashion into the memory of the computer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the dimensions of the vehicle, features which influence driving characteristics, including at least one of turning radius, swinging out of projecting or towed pans, including at least one of the position of the axles within the vehicle and the position and length of a drawbar are included in the calculation of the required driving space.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the case of moving vehicle pans information relating to the current position of these vehicle parts is included in the calculation of the required driving space.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the required driving space and existing driving space are calculated at time intervals (t₀, t_j, t₂, . . . ), these intervals following one another in such brief succession that changes to the existing driving space and of the required driving space are sensed with appropriate speed so that measures initiated when there is a risk of collision are designed to prevent a collision.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein a spatial margin of safety between the vehicle and obstacles is included by at least one of correspondingly reduced dimensions of the existing driving space and enlarged dimensions of the required driving space are used to carry out the comparison.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measures initiated to prevent collisions include at least one of:

triggering of warning signals,

changing the dimensions of the vehicle,

changing the maneuverability of the vehicle, and

intervening in the control of the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the measures for preventing collisions are initiated in a sequence which is determined by the time remaining prior to a collision.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the values of the dimensions of the vehicle are read out of a memory, which is configured for simultaneously storing a plurality of different vehicle contours.

9. An apparatus for carrying out a method for preventing a vehicle colliding with obstacles, the method including the steps 0f

(a) calculating in a first step the driving space required for maneuvering of the vehicle by entering into a memory associated wit a computer the current dimensions, configuration, and turning characteristics of the vehicle including any structure carried on the vehicle and trailer connected to the vehicle, wherein more than one configuration of the vehicle is pre-prograrmmed into said memory and available for recall,

(b) continuously updating the required driving space using sensors associated with at least one of steering wheel position, vehicle carried structure positionig, and trailer angle relative to the vehicle,

(c) sensing in three dimensions the distance between the vehicle and both fixed and moving obstacles in the vehicle'"'"'s surroundings,

(d) creating in the computer a model of the available driving space based on the product of step (a) and (b) as well as stored or sensed road information and the sensed distance values to fixed and moving obstacLes from step (c),

(e) sensing instantaneous values relating to the movement, including at least one of speed, direction of travel, and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle,

(f) calculating, from the product of steps (a)—

(e), the driving space required to continue safe movement of the vehicle,

(g) carrying out a comparison between the existing driving space as determined in steps (a) and (b) and the required driving space calculated in step (f), and

(h) initiating via the computer measures for preventing collisions when the required driving space extends beyond the existing driving space, the apparatus comprising;

a memory for storing values of dimensions of the vehicle, and for storing a plurality of different vehicle contours or configurations,

means for sensing distance values between vehicle components and obstacles in surroundings of the vehicle,

means for sensing movement parameters of die vehicle, including at least one of speed, direction of travel and acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle,

a data processing system for calculating an existing driving space from the distance values,

means for additionally calculating, from the movement parameters in conjunction with the values of the dimensions of the vehicle, a driving space which is required to continue driving, and

means for carrying our a comparison between the existing driving space and the required driving space, and

mechanism for being actuated by the data processing system in order to prevent a collision when the calculated required driving space expands beyond the existing driving space wherein the data processing system is associated with the memory.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprises a communications unit for transferring the values of the dimensions of the vehicle can be transferred into the memory of the data processing system in a wire-free fashion.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the data processing system also includes, in the calculation of the required driving space, information relating to the structural properties of the vehicle, which also determine a driving behavior of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprises means which, in the case of moving pans of the vehicle, sense a current position of these parts of the vehicle vehicles and these values are included in the calculation of the required driving space by the data processing system.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the data processing System determines the required driving space and the existing driving space at time intervals (t₀, t₁, t₂, . . . ) which follow one another in such short succession that changes to the existing driving space and to the required driving space are sensed with appropriate timeliness so that the devices mechanism for preventing a collision is actuated by the data processing system at such an early time that a collision is prevented.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein a spatial safety distance between the vehicle and obstacles is included by virtue of the fact that, before the comparison is carried out, the data processing system at least one of reduces the dimensions of the existing driving space by computational means or increases the dimensions of the required driving space.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the mechanism for preventing a collision includes at least one of:

means for triggering warning signals

means for changing the dimensions of the vehicle

means for changing the maneuverability of the vehicle

means for intervening in the control of the vehicle.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the mechanism for preventing a collision is prioritized by the data processing system and carried out in a sequence which is determined by the time remaining prior to a collision.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the means for sensing distance values between parts of a vehicle and obstacles are embodied as optical or audible, distance measuring sensors or as radiation sensors or as video cameras or as electronic devices for determining position or environment.

18. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the data processing system is carried in the vehicle as a mobile system.

19. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle is connected to a stationary data processing system via a wire-free connection.