Method for avoiding collision

• US 8,547,249 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universitaet Kassel
• Original Assignee: Universitaet Kassel
• Inventors: David, Klaus, Flach, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US13/076,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20110210866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/901, 340/944, 340/435, 340/936, 340/933, 340/937, 701/301, 390/3, 390/1, 394/4, 343/5, 393/6, 393/3, 393/7
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and another traffic participant. According to the inventive method, a cell phone carried by the traffic participant sends a signal including a position of the traffic participant. A processing unit processes the signal including the position of the traffic participant for a position or evaluation history. The processing unit determines an estimation of a future position of the traffic participant on the basis of the position or evaluation history. The processing unit evaluates a likelihood of a collision between the vehicle and the traffic participant on the basis of the estimated future position of the traffic participant and an estimation of a future position of the vehicle. An acceleration of the traffic participant is sensed by an acceleration sensor of the cell phone. This acceleration sensor is multifunctionally used by using the sensor also for a manipulation of the operating state of the cell phone by moving the cell phone. An action for avoiding a collision is automatically initiated in case that a distance of the future position of the traffic participant and the vehicle is smaller than a safety distance. According to the invention, the safety distance depends on the acceleration which is sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and a non-motorized traffic participant comprising the following steps:

a) a cell phone carried by the traffic participant sends a signal including positions of the traffic participant,

b) a processing unit processes the signal including the positions of the traffic participant for a position history or evaluation history,

c) the processing unit determines an estimation of a future position of the traffic participant on the basis of the position history or evaluation history,

d) an acceleration of the traffic participant is sensed by an acceleration sensor of a cell phone carried by the traffic participant, wherein said acceleration sensor is also used for a manipulation of the operating state of said cell phone by moving said cell phone

e) an action for avoiding a collision is automatically initiated in case that a distance of the future position of the traffic participant and said vehicle is smaller than a safety distance, wherein the safety distance depends on

ea) the acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone and

eb) background information or context information related with the traffic participant, said background information or context information being selected from the group consisting of;

background information including the weight of the traffic participant which has been stored in the cell phone and which is replaced,

background information being learned throughout the use of the cell phone wherein the learned background information or context information does not base on an evaluation history of the last 10 seconds, and

background information including an agenda of said traffic participant which is stored in the cell phone, wherein the safety distance is increased if the actual time is so close to a meeting time stored in said agenda that the remaining time is too short for reaching the location of the next date stored in the agenda of the cell phone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a reaction capability of the traffic participant on the basis of the evaluation history, wherein the safety distance depends on the determined reaction capability of said traffic participant.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing unit processes said signal of the cell phone for positions at least two points in time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a moving state of said traffic participant under consideration of said evaluation history.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said processing unit determines a moving state of said traffic participant under consideration of said positions at least two different points in time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit considers or determines a moving state of said vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit considers data related with the surrounding area of the vehicle or the traffic participant for determining a future position of said traffic participant.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a future position of said vehicle under consideration of operating data of said vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit determines a future position of said vehicle under consideration of a navigation system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the safety distance depends on a condition of a road at said vehicle or said traffic participant.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit selects relevant signals when receiving signals from a plurality of cell phones of a plurality of traffic participants.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of background information or context information related with a traffic participant.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of an acceleration sensed by said acceleration sensor of said cell phone of said traffic participant.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said relevant signals are chosen under consideration of a determined reaction capability of a traffic participant related with a cell phone.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises giving a warning signal to the driver of said vehicle.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises changing an operating state of said vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises sending a warning signal to at least one vehicle in the neighborhood of said vehicle.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatic action for avoiding a collision comprises sending a warning signal to said cell phone of said traffic participant.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said processing unit processes the signal of the cell phone with a frequency or intensity that depends on a position of said vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal from said cell phone is sent in reaction upon a triggering signal of the vehicle in the neighborhood of said traffic participant.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said signal of the cell phone is only sent in case that said cell phone is moving.

22. A method for avoiding a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian comprising the following steps:

a) a cell phone carried by the pedestrian sends a signal including positions of the pedestrian,

b) a processing unit processes the signal including the positions of the pedestrian for a position history or evaluation history,

c) the processing unit determines an estimation of a future position of the pedestrian on the basis of the position history or evaluation history,

d) a vertical acceleration of the pedestrian is sensed by an acceleration sensor of a cell phone carried by the pedestrian, wherein said acceleration sensor is also used for a manipulation of the operating state of said cell phone by moving said cell phone and

e) an action for avoiding a collision is automatically initiated in case that a distance of the future position of the pedestrian and said vehicle is smaller than a safety distance, wherein

ea) the safety distance depends on the vertical acceleration sensed by the acceleration sensor of the cell phone and

eb) an increased frequency of the measured vertical acceleration is used as an indicator that the pedestrian is stressed or in a hurry and considered by increasing the safety distance.