Method and system of monitoring passenger buses

• US 9,776,614 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 10/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goudy, Roy, Probert, Neal, Chambers, Jeremy, Christensen, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US14/506,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20160096519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/17 with provision for special action when the preceding vehicle comes to a halt, e.g. stop and go
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

A method of monitoring passenger buses includes generating host vehicle information with a navigation unit, the host vehicle information including a host vehicle location and a host vehicle heading, receiving passenger bus information with a receiver, the passenger bus information including an passenger bus status, a passenger bus location and a passenger bus heading, determining with a controller a distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location, determining with the controller whether the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, and performing a mitigation operation, when the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, and the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is a threshold distance or less.

Claims

1. A passenger bus monitoring method comprising:

generating host vehicle information with a navigation unit, the host vehicle information including a host vehicle location and a host vehicle heading;

receiving passenger bus information with a receiver, the passenger bus information including an indication of a change in a passenger bus operation status, a passenger bus location and a passenger bus heading;

determining with a controller a distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location;

determining with the controller whether the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, and whether the host vehicle trajectory will cause the host vehicle to pass the passenger bus; and

performing a mitigation operation by the host vehicle, when the indication of the change in a passenger bus operation status is received, when the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, when the host vehicle trajectory will cause the host vehicle to pass the passenger bus without a threat of contact between the host vehicle and the passenger bus, and the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is a threshold distance or less.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

ceasing the mitigation operation based on a predetermined condition.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the predetermined condition is another change in the passenger bus operation status.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising

performing an intervention operation when the distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, and the distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is a second threshold distance or less.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the second threshold distance is less than the first threshold distance.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising

ceasing the intervention operation based on the predetermined condition.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein

the predetermined condition is a change in the passenger bus operation status.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the performing the intervention operation includes at least one of braking the host vehicle and altering the trajectory of the host vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein

the performing the intervention operation includes maintaining at least the second threshold distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising

determining with the controller jurisdictional rules with respect to passenger buses at the host vehicle location.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein

determining with the controller the jurisdictional rules includes determining the jurisdictional distance to be maintained between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the performing the intervention operation includes operating brakes of the host vehicle to maintain the second threshold distance.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein

the performing the intervention operation includes altering the trajectory of the host vehicle to maintain the second threshold distance.

15. The method according to claim 2, wherein

the predetermined condition is a ceasing of a caution state.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein

the ceasing of the caution state includes retracting a stop sign while maintaining the activation of caution lights.

17. The method according to claim 1, further comprising

determining with the controller jurisdictional rules with respect to passenger bus at the host vehicle location.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein

the performing the mitigation operation includes notifying occupants of the host vehicle of the jurisdictional rules.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the activating the advisory includes activating an interior warning.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the activating the advisory includes activating an auditory advisory.

4. A passenger bus monitoring method comprising:

generating host vehicle information with a navigation unit, the host vehicle information including a host vehicle location and a host vehicle heading;

receiving passenger bus information with a receiver, the passenger bus information including a passenger bus status, a passenger bus location and a passenger bus heading;

determining with a controller a distance between the host vehicle location and the passenger bus location;

determining with the controller whether the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing;

performing a mitigation operation by the host vehicle, when the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is decreasing, and the distance between host vehicle location and the passenger bus location is a threshold distance or less without a threat of contact between the host vehicle and the passenger bus; and

ceasing the mitigation operation based on a predetermined condition, the predetermined condition being a deactivation of passenger bus caution lights.