Intersection collision avoidance techniques

• US 8,000,897 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2008
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc.
• Inventors: Breed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., DuVall, Wilbur E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/972,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,314 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2863 backward facing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0071 Controller overrides driver automatically
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0073 Driver overrides controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/04 related to roll-over prevention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18159 Traversing an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18172 Preventing, or responsive to skidding of wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 : Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 : with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 : of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 : Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 : for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 : Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/41 : Differential correction, e.g. DGPS [differential GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/50 : whereby the position solution is constrained to lie upon a particular curve or surface, e.g. for locomotives on railway tracks
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/4975 : of sensor obstruction by, e.g. dirt- or ice-coating, e.g. by reflection measurement on front-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9315 : Monitoring blind spots
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 : combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9318 : Controlling the steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93185 : Controlling the brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9319 : Controlling the accelerator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 : Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 : using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 : in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 : on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9329 : cooperating with reflectors or transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0221 : involving a learning process
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 : involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 : using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 : using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 : comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 : using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 : using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 : Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 : involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 : Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

System and method for preventing accidents between first and second vehicles at intersections in which the absolute position and velocity of the first vehicle are determined, map data relating to edges of lanes of roadways, edges of roadways and the location of traffic control devices is stored in a map database and the status of the traffic control devices is provided to the first vehicle when needed. The absolute position and velocity of the second vehicle are determined and a collision between the first and second vehicles is predicted based on the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles, the map data and the status of the traffic control devices. An action or changing operation is initiated by a reactive component or system in the first and/or second vehicle when a collision is predicted.

Claims

1. A method for preventing accidents between first and second vehicles at intersections, comprising:

determining a position and velocity of the first vehicle,

storing map data in a memory unit relating to edges of lanes of roadways including roadways that intersect at the intersection, edges of roadways including roadways that intersect at the intersection and traffic control information relevant to travel of vehicles approaching or passing through the intersection,

determining a position and velocity of the second vehicle,

obtaining the traffic control information as the first and second vehicles approach or pass through the intersection,

predicting, using a processor, a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the determined position and velocity of the first and second vehicles, the map data stored in the memory unit and the traffic control information, and

initiating an action or changing operation by a reactive component or system in or on the first vehicle when a collision is predicted by the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the memory unit in or on the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging the memory unit separate from the first and second vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the collision is predicted in the processor at a location separate from the first and second vehicles, further comprising providing wireless communications from the processor to the reactive component or system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the acceleration of the first and second vehicles, and

predicting, using the processor, a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the determined position, velocity and acceleration of the first and second vehicles, the map data and the traffic control information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the position and velocity of the first vehicle comprises arranging a positioning system on the first vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the position and velocity of the second vehicle comprises arranging a positioning system on the second vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing the determined position and velocity of the second vehicle to the first vehicle, and

providing the processor in or on the first vehicle for receiving the determined position and velocity of the first and second vehicles and predicting the collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

wirelessly transmitting the determined position and velocity of the second vehicle to the first vehicle using a transmitter, and

arranging the processor in or on the first vehicle to receive the determined position of the first vehicle and the transmitted, determined position and velocity of the second vehicle and predicting the collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the position and velocity of the second vehicle comprises arranging a positioning system in or on the first vehicle.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles comprises fixedly arranging a positioning system at the intersection of the lanes on which the first and second vehicles are traveling, the positioning system using a wave-propagation phenomena to determine the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting information about status of traffic control devices to the first vehicle from transmitters associated with the traffic control devices whereby the status of the traffic control devices constitutes a part of the traffic control information.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining images of traffic control devices and analyzing the images to ascertain status of the traffic control devices, whereby the status of the traffic control devices constitutes a part of the traffic control information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second vehicles are airplanes.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling traffic control devices and the processor to enable data flow therebetween including information about the status of the traffic control devices, whereby the status of the traffic control devices constitutes a part of the traffic control information.

16. A method for preventing accidents between first and second vehicles at intersections, comprising:

determining a position and velocity of the first vehicle,

storing map data in a memory unit relating to edges of lanes of roadways including roadways that intersect at the intersection and edges of roadways including roadways that intersect at the intersection,

arranging the memory unit separate from the first and second vehicles,

determining a position and velocity of the second vehicle,

predicting, using a processor, a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles and the map data, and

initiating an action or changing operation by a reactive component or system in or on the first vehicle when a collision is predicted by the processor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the collision is predicted in the processor at a location separate from the first and second vehicles, further comprising providing wireless communications from the processor to the reactive component or system.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining the acceleration of the first and second vehicles, and

predicting, using the processor, a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the position, velocity and acceleration of the first and second vehicles and the map data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of determining the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles comprises fixedly arranging a positioning system at the intersection of the lanes on which the first and second vehicles are traveling, the positioning system using a wave-propagation phenomena to determine the position and velocity of the first and second vehicles.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second vehicles are airplanes.