Collision avoidance system having GPS enhanced with OFDM transceivers

• US 7,444,240 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Ronald, Macneille, Perry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US10/849,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20050273258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 701/213, 701/301, 340/901, 340/903, 340/435, 370/315, 704/E19.02, 704/E15.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.08
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0072 Transmission between mobile stations, e.g. anti-collision systems

Abstract

An object relative status determination system (54) for a vehicle (52) includes an orthogonal frequency domain modulation (OFDM) transceiver (56) that generates an object range signal (83). The system (54) may also include a global navigation system (GNS) (58) that receives a satellite range signal (70). A controller (66) is coupled to the OFDM transceiver (56) and the GNS (58) and determines object information relative to the vehicle (52) in response to the object range signal (83) and the satellite range signal (70).

Claims

1. An object relative status determination system for at least one vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one orthogonal frequency domain modulation (OFDM) transceiver operable to transmit and receive object range signals onboard a host vehicle; and

at least one controller coupled to said at least one OFDM transceiver and operable to determine object information relative to said host vehicle in response to said object range signals.

2. An object relative status determination system as in claim 1, wherein said at least one controller is coupled to a vehicle network interface via said at least one OFDM transceiver.

3. An object relative status determination system as in claim 2, wherein said system comprises:

a head vehicle having at least one onboard OFDM transceiver and at least one controller coupled thereto;

at least one middle vehicle having at least one onboard OFDM transceiver and at least one controller coupled thereto; and

a tail vehicle having at least one onboard OFDM transceiver and at least one controller coupled thereto;

wherein said at least one controller of said head vehicle is coupled to said vehicle network interface via said at least one onboard OFDM transceiver of said head vehicle, said at least one controller of each said middle vehicle is coupled to said vehicle network interface via said at least one onboard OFDM transceiver of each said middle vehicle, and said at least one controller of said tail vehicle is coupled to said vehicle network interface via said at least one onboard OFDM transceiver of said tail vehicle;

wherein said head vehicle, said at least one middle vehicle, and said tail vehicle are collectively in a platoon formation; and

wherein said host vehicle is one of said head vehicle, said at least one middle vehicle, or said tail vehicle of said platoon formation.

4. An object relative status determination system for at least one vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one OFDM transceiver operable to transmit and receive object range signals;

at least one global positioning system (GPS) operable to receive satellite range signals; and

at least one controller coupled to said at least one OFDM transceiver and said at least one GPS and operable to determine object information relative to a host vehicle in response to said satellite range signals and said object range signals.

5. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one OFDM transceiver particularly includes:

a first OFDM transceiver onboard said host vehicle; and

a second OFDM transceiver on an object.

6. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one GPS particularly includes:

a first GPS onboard said host vehicle; and

a second GPS on an object.

7. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is particularly operable to determine the relative range of at least one object with respect to said host vehicle in response to said satellite range signals and said object range signals.

8. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is particularly operable to determine the relative velocity of at least one object with respect to said host vehicle in response to said satellite range signals and said object range signals.

9. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein each of said at least one GPS includes:

a GPS antenna;

a radio frequency (RF) unit coupled to said GPS antenna; and

a digital signal processor (DSP) coupled between said RF unit and said at least one controller.

10. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is coupled to a vehicle network interface.

11. An object relative status determination system as in claim 10, wherein:

said system further comprises a platoon of vehicles on which said at least one OFDM transceiver, said at least one GPS, and said at least one controller is carried; and

said host vehicle is one of said platoon of vehicles.

12. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one GPS is particularly operable to receive said satellite range signals from a plurality of satellites.

13. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one GPS is particularly operable to receive said satellite range signals from at least one GPS satellite.

14. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one GPS is particularly operable to receive said satellite range signals from at least one navy navigation satellite system (NAVSAT) satellite.

15. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is particularly operable to determine said object information relative to said host vehicle in response to a single one of said satellite range signals and a single one of said object range signals.

16. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one controller is particularly operable to determine said object information relative to said host vehicle in response to a plurality of said object range signals.

17. An object relative status determination system as in claim 4, wherein said at least one OFDM transceiver particularly includes:

a first OFDM transceiver onboard said host vehicle; and

a second OFDM transceiver on an object and in synchronization with said first OFOM transceiver.

18. A system comprising:

a host vehicle;

an orthogonal frequency domain modulation (OFDM) transceiver onboard said host vehicle;

a global positioning system (GPS) unit onboard said host vehicle;

at least one collision countermeasure onboard said host vehicle; and

a controller coupled to said OFDM transceiver, said GPS unit, and said at least one collision countermeasure onboard said host vehicle;

wherein said OFDM transceiver is operable to transmit and receive range signals to and from at least one object having a reciprocal transceiver;

wherein said GPS unit is operable to receive range signals from at least one satellite that is wirelessly linked to said at least one object;

wherein said controller is operable to process said range signals and thereby determine the range of said at least one object relative to said host vehicle; and

wherein said controller is operable to selectively control said at least one collision countermeasure according to said range as determined.

19. A system as in claim 18, wherein each said object is a separate vehicle having its own respective OFDM transceiver, GPS unit, and controller.