Autonomous emergency braking apparatus for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025010821-A1
Application number	US-202318347881-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 6, 2023
Priority date	Jul 6, 2023
Publication date	Jan 9, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

An autonomous emergency braking apparatus is provided for a host vehicle having one or more sensors providing one or more sensor signals indicative of status of at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprises a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the one or more sensor signals indicative of the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle in the event of the host vehicle colliding with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus for a host vehicle having one or more sensors providing one or more sensor signals indicative of status of at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprising:
a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the one or more sensor signals indicative of the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle in the event of the host vehicle colliding with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle.

2 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle is associated with velocity of the at least one vehicle relative to velocity of the host vehicle.

3 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the vehicle controller is arranged to provide the at least one control signal based upon a comparison of the velocity of the host vehicle and the velocity of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle.

4 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one control signal comprises a combination of a foundation brake control signal, an engine retarding control signal, and a throttle limiting control signal.

5 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:
a brake controller arranged to provide a foundation brake control signal to foundation brakes of the host vehicle; and
a powertrain controller arranged to provide (i) an engine retarding control signal to an engine retarder of the host vehicle, and (ii) a throttle limiting control signal to a throttle limiter of the host vehicle;
wherein the vehicle controller provides (i) a control signal to the brake controller so that the brake controller can control the foundation brakes, and (ii) a control signal to the powertrain controller so that the powertrain controller can control the engine retarder and the throttle limiter and thereby to control extent of deceleration of the host vehicle.

6 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the brake controller, the powertrain controller, and the vehicle controller are each a separate controller.

7 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle controller comprises a controller of an advanced driver assistance system.

8 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus for a host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprising:
at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof; a first traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a first moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and to provide a first velocity signal indicative thereof; and control means for, when the collision signal is provided, controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon the first velocity signal.

9 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising:
a second traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a second moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and provide a second velocity signal indicative thereof.

10 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the first and second velocity signals are processed to provide a traffic velocity signal.

11 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle based upon the traffic velocity signal.

12 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first and second velocity signals are averaged to provide an average traffic velocity signal.

13 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using foundation brakes of the host vehicle.

14 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using an engine retarder of the host vehicle.

15 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using a throttle limiter of the host vehicle.

16 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control means comprises a combination of a brake controller, a powertrain controller, and a vehicle controller.

17 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus for a host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprising:
at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof; and a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the at least one sensor, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon a relative velocity difference between the host vehicle and a vehicle in front of the host vehicle when the at least one sensor provides the collision signal indicative of the host vehicle colliding with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle.

18 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the relative velocity difference is velocity of the host vehicle at moment of collision impact subtracted from velocity of the front vehicle at moment of collision impact.

19 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one control signal is provided to control extent of deceleration when the relative velocity difference is less than a predetermined velocity threshold.

20 . An autonomous emergency braking apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein the predetermined velocity threshold is between about 10 miles per hour and 30 miles per hour.

21 . An autonomous emergency braking method for a host vehicle in the event of a collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle, the method comprising:
controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon velocity of one or more moving vehicles adjacent to the host vehicle; and
determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated.

22 . An autonomous emergency braking method according to claim 21 , wherein determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated includes:
prolonging how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated based upon at least a difference between velocity of the vehicle in front of the host vehicle and velocity of the host vehicle at the moment of collision impact of the host vehicle with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle.

23 . An autonomous emergency braking method according to claim 22 further comprising:
continue decelerating the host vehicle when current velocity of the host vehicle after collision impact plus a configurable offset velocity value is greater than v

Assignees

• Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems Llc

Inventors

• Carbaugh Jeffrey M

Classifications

• B60W2554/80

  Spatial relation or speed relative to objects · CPC title

• B60W30/09 Primary

  Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering · CPC title

• B60W2710/18

  Braking system · CPC title

• B60W2710/0677

  Engine power · CPC title

• B60W2710/0605

  Throttle position · CPC title