Vehicle safety system

• US 9,652,257 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MicroPairing Technologies LLC (Micropairing Technologies Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Eagle Harbor Holdings, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Preston, Dan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchau Ba
• Application Number:
  US13/427,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20120185134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,881 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 22, 701 33, 701 24, 701 291, 701 343, 701439, 701 45, 701 70, 712 10, 712 11, 712 16, 712 17, 717168-178, 717100, 34082572, 710 10, 710104, 710 15, 710 62, 710 8, 710 17, 710 18, 714E11025, 714E11179, 714E11007, 709203, 709223, 709219, 709230, 709226, 709229, 709206, 709217, 709224, 709239, 709240, 455423, 4555501, 455434, 455446, 455503, 455 901, 455 902, 455 903, 700 1, 700 17, 700 19, 700 2, 700 83, 700 86, 700 94, 718100, 713100, 713 2, 713340, 370254, 370255, 3702301, 3702362, 370253, 370256, 370390, 37039521, 3703954, 37039564, 370413, 370414, 370416, 370418, 370431, 370462, 370468, 370473, 707748, 725105
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4081 Live connection to bus, e.g. hot-plugging current or voltage limitation during live insertion H02H9/004
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40169 Flexible bus arrangements arrangements for maintenance or administration involving management of faults; events, alarms H04L41/06; automatic restoration of network faults H04L41/0654
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/403 with centralised control, e.g. polling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40273 the transportation system being a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A vehicle safety system made up of multiple processors connected together into a multiprocessor system where the system is configured to operate the vehicle. Multiple sensors are connected to the processors and configured to gather information from vehicle and a lidar sensor attached to the windshield and oriented to gather data from the road in front of the vehicle. A processor is connected and collocated with the lidar sensor for controlling the lidar and a second processor is configured to operate an application configured to receive data from the multiprocessor system, merge the data from multiprocessor system into a message, prioritize the message against other messages, add a priority label to the message, send and process the message according to the priority label attached.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system, comprising:

multiple processors connected together into a multiprocessor system, wherein the multiprocessor system is configured to operate a vehicle system, and wherein the vehicle system comprises a control processor;

a first set of sensors connected to the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system configured to gather data from operations associated with the vehicle;

a second set of sensors comprising an infrared sensor attached to the vehicle and oriented to gather data from the external environment around the vehicle;

an infrared processor connected to the infrared sensor for controlling the infrared sensor, wherein the infrared processor is collocated with the infrared sensor;

at least one processor in the multiprocessor system configured to operate a fusion application, wherein the fusion application is configured to;

receive data from the multiprocessor system, wherein the data includes sensor data from the environment around the vehicle and data related to the vehicle operation,

merge the data from the multiprocessor system into a first message related to the operation of a vehicle system,

receive additional data related to operation of the vehicle system from the multiprocessor system,

merge the additional data from the multiprocessor system into a second message related to the operation of the vehicle system,

attach a message label to the messages, wherein the message label includes a priority label, and wherein the priority is based on a predetermined ranking scheme,

use a priority manager to rank the first and second message based on the priority label,

select and send the message to the control processor based on priority ranking, process the new message according to the message label.

2. The vehicle safety system according the claim 1, wherein the predetermined ranking scheme is based on at least one of vehicle safety, crash mitigation, collision threat, collision avoidance, and crash indication.

3. The vehicle safety system according the claim 1, wherein the control processor controls at least one of vehicle braking, vehicle acceleration, vehicle steering, and vehicle impact readying.

4. The vehicle safety system according the claim 1, wherein the infrared sensor operates with at least one of near infrared light and far infrared light to detect objects.

5. The vehicle safety system according the claim 1, wherein the infrared sensor has a forward view and is mounted on or proximate to one of the dash, the windshield, the rear view mirror, the front grill or front bumper, or the roof of the vehicle above the windshield.

6. The vehicle safety system according to claim 1, wherein the infrared sensor generates track reports.

7. The vehicle safety system according to claim 1, wherein the second set of sensors connected to the multiple processors configured to gather data from the external environment includes at least one of radar, image sensor, and infrared sensor.

8. The vehicle safety system according to claim 7, wherein if the radar sensor is used it is attached on or proximate to the front of the vehicle and oriented to gather data from the environment in front of the vehicle.

9. The vehicle safety system according to claim 8, wherein a radar processor is connected to the radar sensor for controlling the radar sensor, and wherein the radar processor is collocated with the radar sensor.

10. The vehicle safety system according to claim 9, wherein the radar sensor generates track reports.

11. The vehicle safety system according to claim 1, wherein lower priority messages are deleted.

12. The vehicle safety system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor processor is not collocated with the sensor.

13. The vehicle safety system according to claim 1, wherein the attached message label includes at least one of a logging label and critical data label.

14. A method for operating a vehicle safety system, comprising:

operating multiple processors connected together into a multiprocessor system, wherein the multiprocessor system is configured to operate a vehicle system, and wherein the vehicle system comprises a control processor;

receiving data from a first set of sensors connected to the multiple processors in the multiprocessor system, wherein the multiple sensors are configured to gather data from operations associated with the vehicle;

receiving data from a second set of sensors comprising an infrared sensor attached to the vehicle and oriented to gather data from the external environment around the vehicle;

controlling the infrared sensor with an infrared processor connected to the infrared sensor, wherein the infrared processor is collocated with the infrared sensor;

configuring at least one processor in the multiprocessor system to operate a fusion application, wherein the fusion application is configured to;

receive data from the multiprocessor system, wherein the data includes sensor data from the environment around the vehicle and data related to the vehicle operation,

merge the data from the multiprocessor system into a first message related to the operation of the vehicle system,

receive additional data related to the operation of the vehicle system from the multiprocessor system,

merge the additional data from the multiprocessor system into a second message related to the operation of the vehicle system,

attach a message label to the messages, wherein the message label includes a priority label, and wherein the priority is based on a predetermined ranking scheme,

use a priority manager to rank the first and second message based on the priority label,

select and send the message to the control processor based on priority ranking, process the new message according to the message label.

15. The method according the claim 14, wherein the predetermined ranking scheme is based on at least one of vehicle safety, crash mitigation, collision threat, collision avoidance and crash indication.

16. The method according the claim 14, wherein the control processor controls at least one of vehicle braking, vehicle acceleration, vehicle steering, and vehicle impact readying.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the infrared sensor operates with at least one of near infrared light and far infrared light to detect objects.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the infrared sensor has a forward view and is mounted on or proximate to one of the dash, the windshield, the rear view mirror, the front grill or front bumper, or the roof of the vehicle above the windshield.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the infrared sensor generates track reports.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the second set of sensors connected to the multiple processors configured to gather data from the external environment includes at least one of radar, image, and infrared.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein a radar sensor is attached on or proximate to the front of the vehicle and oriented to gather data from the environment in front of the vehicle.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein a radar processor is connected to the radar sensor for controlling the radar sensor, and wherein the radar processor is collocated with the radar sensor.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the radar sensor generates track reports.

24. The method according to claim 14, wherein lower priority messages are deleted.

25. The method according to claim 14, wherein the infrared processor is not collocated with the infrared sensor.

26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the attached message label includes at least one of a logging label and critical data label.