Pre-computed and optionally cached collision mitigation braking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016280190-A1
Application number	US-201514665001-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

When mitigating collisions between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle, the forward vehicle is monitored and real-time data regarding distance and relative acceleration between the host and forward vehicles is used to continuously calculate a collision probability. The collision probability is used to calculate a deceleration request value sufficient to slow or stop the host vehicle within the following distance to the forward vehicle. The deceleration request value is transmitted to an antilock braking system (ABS) controller that caches the most-recently received value for execution upon receipt of an execution command. When the collision probability exceeds a first threshold, the ABS is instructed to arm the braking system. Upon detection of a brake pedal engagement, the ABS executes the brake request with the currently-cached value.

First claim

Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be:

1 . A system that facilitates mitigating collisions between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle by caching a current deceleration request value for execution upon detection of an probable collision and an brake pedal signal, comprising:
a forward sensor configured to monitor the forward vehicle; a brake force determination module comprising:
a collision warning module configured to calculate a probability of a collision between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle as a function of real-time data received from the forward sensor and determine whether the calculated collision probability is above a first predetermined threshold; and
a deceleration calculation module configured to generate a deceleration request value indicative of a brake force sufficient to mitigate the collision as a function of the calculated collision probability; and
wherein the brake force determination module transmits a current deceleration request value to an antilock braking system controller, where the current deceleration request value is cached for execution upon detection of the brake pedal engagement.

2 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the forward sensor is a radar sensor that determines a distance between the forward vehicle and the host vehicle and a relative acceleration between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle, and transmits real-time distance and relative acceleration information to the brake force determination module.

3 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the forward sensor is one or more of a radar sensor, a camera, an ultrasonic sensor, and a laser sensor.

4 . The system according to claim 1 , further comprising a comparator module that compares a deceleration request value requested in the detected brake pedal engagement signal to the current calculated deceleration request value, and upon determining that the calculated deceleration request value is greater than the deceleration request value indicated by the brake pedal engagement signal, and instructs the antilock braking system controller to execute the calculated deceleration request value.

5 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the antilock brake system controller immediately executes the current cached deceleration request value upon detection of the brake pedal engagement signal when the collision probability is greater than the first determined threshold.

6 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the collision warning module sends an alert message to activate an alert module, which alerts the driver to a potential collision, upon determining that the collision probability is above the first predetermined threshold.

7 . The system according to claim 1 , wherein the brake force determination module sends a command to the brake pedal to provide haptic feedback via the brake pedal upon the collision warning module determining that the collision probability is above the first predetermined threshold.

8 . A device that facilitates mitigating collisions between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle, comprising:
a collision warning module configured to calculate a probability of a collision between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle as a function of real-time data received from a forward sensor and determine whether the calculated collision probability is above a first predetermined threshold; and a deceleration calculation module configured to generate a deceleration request value indicative of a brake force sufficient to mitigate the collision as a function of the calculated collision probability; and a processor that transmits a current deceleration request value to an antilock braking system controller, where the current deceleration request value is cached for execution upon detection of the brake pedal engagement.

9 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the device receives from the forward sensor real-time information indicating a distance between the forward vehicle and the host vehicle and a relative acceleration between the host vehicle and the forward vehicle.

10 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the forward sensor is one or more of a radar sensor, a camera, an ultrasonic sensor and a laser sensor.

11 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the antilock braking system controller comprises a comparator module that compares a deceleration request value requested in the detected brake pedal engagement signal to the current calculated deceleration request value, and upon determining that the calculated deceleration request value is greater than the deceleration request value indicated by the brake pedal engagement signal, instructs the antilock braking system controller to execute the calculated deceleration request value.

12 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the antilock brake system controller immediately executes the current cached deceleration request value upon detection of the brake pedal engagement signal when the collision probability is greater than the first determined threshold.

13 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the collision warning module sends an alert message to activate an alert module, which alerts the driver to a potential collision, upon determining that the collision probability is above the first predetermined threshold.

14 . The device according to claim 8 , wherein the processor sends a command to the brake pedal to provide haptic feedback via the brake pedal upon the collision warning module determining that the collision probability is above the first predetermined threshold.

15 . A method of mitigating collisions between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle, comprising:
monitoring a forward vehicle; calculating a probability of a collision between the forward vehicle and the host vehicle; calculating a deceleration request value indicative of a braking force sufficient to mitigate the collision; transmitting current deceleration request values to an antilock braking system (ABS) controller for storage in a memory cache in the ABS controller; determining whether a first collision probability threshold has been exceeded; upon determining that the first collision probability threshold has been exceeded, determining whether a brake pedal engagement signal has been detected; upon detection of the brake pedal engagement signal, executing a braking request using the cached deceleration request value.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the probability of collision is calculated as a function of real-time data indicative of a distance and relative acceleration between the host and forward vehicles.

17 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising, upon a determination that a brake pedal engagement signal has not been detected, determining whether a second collision probability threshold has been exceeded, the second collision probability threshold being higher than the first collision probability threshold; and upon determining that the second collision probability threshold has been exceeded, initiation a collision mitigation protocol.

18 . The method according to claim 15 , further comprising, upon determining that the first collision probability threshold has been exceeded charging a braking system to a level sufficient to supply braking force consistent with the deceleration request value cached in the ABS controller.

19 . An apparatus that facilitates mitigating collisions between a host vehicle and a forward vehicle, comprising:
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Assignees

• Franz Martin P
• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Franz Martin P

Classifications

• B60T7/22 Primary

  initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• G08G1/16

  Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08) · CPC title

• B60T2201/024

  Collision mitigation systems · CPC title

• G08G1/166

  for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes · CPC title