Method of intersection identification for collision warning system

• US 8,618,952 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mochizuki, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): OBINIYI, PAULSON IDOWU
• Application Number:
  US13/010,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20120188098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/907, 340/936, 340/938, 340/988, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 3409951-99528, 701/32.2, 701/408, 701/410, 701/411, 701/412
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method of identifying an intersection for a collision warning system is disclosed. The method includes steps of selecting an identified intersection where a driver intends to turn from a set of potential intersections. The collision warning system is then controlled according to the identified intersection.

Claims

1. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

retrieving a predetermined distance;

determining a set of potential intersections from the intersection information, the set of potential intersections including all the intersections that are less than the predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle;

selecting an identified intersection from the set of potential intersections;

determining a vehicle speed of the motor vehicle;

determining whether the vehicle speed has slowed to below a threshold speed and whether a distance from the motor vehicle to the identified intersection is less than the predetermined distance;

receiving information from a remote vehicle;

estimating a vehicle collision point for the motor vehicle and the remote vehicle based upon the information received from the remote vehicle;

determining a threat level according to the identified intersection, the vehicle speed, the distance from the motor vehicle to the identified intersection and the estimated vehicle collision point for the motor vehicle and the remote vehicle;

and

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle according to the threat level.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing exit information associated with the identified intersection.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information is received from one of a navigation system and a map database, and

wherein the method further comprises determining whether a driver of the motor vehicle intends to turn the motor vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information includes locations of residential driveways.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the intersection information includes locations of commercial driveways.

6. A method of operating a motor vehicle with a driver, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

determining a vehicle speed;

determining at least one potential intersection;

determining whether the driver intends to turn the motor vehicle to the left;

determining a distance from the motor vehicle to the at least one potential intersection;

retrieving a threshold speed and a threshold distance;

setting the potential intersection as an identified intersection when the driver has slowed the vehicle speed to below the threshold speed and when the distance is below the threshold distance; and

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle according to the identified intersection

wherein the step of controlling the collision warning system includes steps of receiving information from a remote vehicle, determining if the remote vehicle is close to the identified intersection, and estimating a collision point for the motor vehicle and the remote vehicle based upon the information received from the remote vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the step of determining at least one potential intersection includes steps of retrieving a predetermined distance and determining a set of potential intersections from the intersection information, the set of potential intersections including all the intersections that are less than the predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the value of the threshold speed varies for different intersections.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the value of the threshold distance varies for different intersections.

10. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

determining a vehicle speed;

determining at least one potential intersection;

determining a distance from the motor vehicle to the at least one potential intersection;

retrieving a threshold speed and a threshold distance;

setting the potential intersection as an identified intersection when the vehicle speed is below the threshold speed and when the distance is below the threshold distance; and

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle according to the identified intersection;

wherein the step of controlling the collision warning system further comprises steps of;

determining a next intersection from the set of potential intersections, the next intersection being further in front of the motor vehicle than the identified intersection;

determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection, determining that the chance for a collision with a remote vehicle is low and controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in a normal alert mode providing normal alert information to a driver of the motor vehicle;

if there is not a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection, determining that the chance for a collision requires controlling the collision warning system in an enhanced alert mode providing enhanced alert information to the driver of the motor vehicle;

wherein the enhanced alert mode is different than the normal alert mode.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the collision warning system issues more alerts in the enhanced alert mode than in the normal alert mode.

19. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of providing exit information associated with the identified intersection to the driver of the motor vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 10, further comprising a step of receiving information from a remote vehicle and a step of estimating a vehicle collision point between the motor vehicle and the remote vehicle.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining if there is a stopped vehicle at the next intersection comprises using a visual detection system.

12. A method of operating a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:

receiving intersection information;

determining an identified intersection and a next intersection from a set of potential intersections, the next intersection being further in front of the motor vehicle than the identified intersection;

determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

determining whether a driver of the motor vehicle intends to turn the motor vehicle;

determining whether a vehicle speed of the motor vehicle has slowed to below a threshold speed;

determining whether there is a stopped vehicle at the next intersection;

if there is a stopped vehicle at the next intersection, determining that the chance for a collision with a remote vehicle is low and controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in a normal alert mode; and

if there is not a stopped vehicle at the next intersection, determining that the chance of a collision requires controlling the collision warning system in an enhanced alert mode when there is not a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection;

wherein the enhanced alert mode is different than the normal alert mode.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method further includes steps of:

determining if there is a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection;

controlling a collision warning system of the motor vehicle in the normal alert mode when there is a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection; and

controlling the collision warning system in the enhanced alert mode when there is not a slowing leading vehicle at the next intersection.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method includes a step of determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the identified intersection and wherein the collision warning system is operated in the normal alert mode if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the identified intersection.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the method includes a step of determining if the motor vehicle is stopped at the identified intersection and wherein the collision warning system is operated in the normal alert mode if the motor vehicle is stopped at the identified intersection.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining an identified intersection further includes the steps of:

determining a vehicle speed for the motor vehicle;

selecting at least one potential intersection from the set of potential intersections;

determining a distance from the motor vehicle to the at least one potential intersection;

retrieving a threshold speed and a threshold distance; and

setting the potential intersection as an identified intersection when the vehicle speed is below the threshold speed and when the distance is below the threshold distance.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the set of potential intersections comprises all intersections within a predetermined distance in front of the motor vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of determining if there is a stopped leading vehicle at the next intersection includes a step of receiving information from the leading vehicle using a vehicle communication network.