Vehicular collision mitigation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9318020-B2
Application number	US-201514809541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A collision mitigation system for a vehicle includes at least a forward viewing camera and a rearward viewing camera configured to be disposed at the vehicle so as to view generally forwardly or rearwardly of the vehicle. An image processor processes image data captured by the cameras. When the equipped vehicle is moving and responsive at least in part to a determination that the equipped vehicle is approaching an object determined to be present forwardly of the equipped vehicle, the control is operable to apply a vehicle brake to mitigate a collision with the determined object. When the vehicle is moving and the control is applying the vehicle brake, and responsive at least in part to a determination that a following vehicle is following the equipped vehicle, the control adjusts control of the vehicle brakes to mitigate a rear collision by the determined following vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A collision mitigation system for a vehicle, said collision mitigation system comprising:
a plurality of cameras configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision mitigation system, wherein, when disposed at the equipped vehicle, said cameras have respective exterior fields of view;
wherein at least one of said cameras comprises a forward viewing camera that is configured to be disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to view at least generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle through the windshield;
wherein at least one of said cameras comprises a rearward viewing camera that is configured to be disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle so as to view at least generally rearwardly of the equipped vehicle;
a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said cameras;
wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and responsive at least in part to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward viewing camera, that the moving equipped vehicle is approaching an object present forwardly of the equipped vehicle, said control is operable to apply a vehicle brake of the equipped vehicle to mitigate a collision with the object; and
wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and said control is applying the vehicle brake, and responsive at least in part to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera, that a following vehicle is following the equipped vehicle and may collide with the equipped vehicle, said control adjusts control of the vehicle brakes to mitigate a rear collision by the following vehicle.

2. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and responsive at least in part to determination that the moving equipped vehicle is approaching a determined object, said control is operable to apply a vehicle brake of the equipped vehicle at a first degree of braking, and wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and said control is applying the vehicle brake at the first degree of braking, and responsive at least in part to determination of the following vehicle, said control applies the vehicle brake of the equipped vehicle at a second degree of braking.

3. The collision mitigation system of claim 2 , wherein the second degree of braking is less than the first degree of braking.

4. The collision mitigation system of claim 2 , wherein said control determines the first and second degrees of braking based on at least one of a distance of the determined following vehicle from the equipped vehicle and a rate of approach of the determined following vehicle to the equipped vehicle.

5. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, in order to mitigate collisions with the determined object and the determined following vehicle, said control determines a degree of braking responsive to a comparison of (i) a rate of approach and distance of the equipped vehicle to the determined object and (ii) a rate of approach and distance of the following vehicle to the equipped vehicle.

6. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein said collision mitigation system adjusts control of the vehicle brakes responsive to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera, that the determined following vehicle is within a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle.

7. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein said collision mitigation system adjusts control of the vehicle brakes responsive to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward viewing camera, that the determined following vehicle is approaching the equipped vehicle beyond a threshold rate of approach.

8. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to determination that the moving equipped vehicle is approaching an object determined to be present forwardly of the equipped vehicle, said collision mitigation system generates an alert to a driver of the equipped vehicle.

9. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to determination that a following vehicle is following the equipped vehicle, said collision mitigation system generates an alert to a driver of the equipped vehicle.

10. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and said control is applying the vehicle brake, and responsive at least in part to the determination of the following vehicle, said control reduces application of the vehicle brakes to mitigate a rear collision by the determined following vehicle.

11. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and said control is applying the vehicle brake, and responsive at least in part to the determination of the following vehicle, said control determines a degree of application of the vehicle brakes to mitigate collision with the determined forward object and the determined following vehicle.

12. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and responsive at least in part to a determination that the moving equipped vehicle is approaching a determined object present forwardly of the equipped vehicle, said control is operable to apply maximum braking of the equipped vehicle when there is no vehicle determined to be following the equipped vehicle within a threshold distance from the equipped vehicle.

13. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said forward viewing camera when the vehicle is moving in a forward direction for at least one of (i) a headlamp control system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehicle.

14. The collision mitigation system of claim 1 , wherein said image processor processes image data captured by said rearward viewing camera when the vehicle is moving in a rearward direction for at least one of (i) a rear backup system of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a surround view system of the equipped vehicle.

15. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to a vehicle system of the equipped vehicle, said control determines when the equipped vehicle is stopped, and wherein said vehicle system comprises one of a (i) a speed sensor of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a braking system of the equipped vehicle.

16. A collision mitigation system for a vehicle, said collision mitigation system comprising:
a plurality of cameras configured to be disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision mitigation system, wherein, when disposed at the equipped vehicle, said cameras have respective exterior fields of view;
wherein at least one of said cameras comprises a forward viewing camera that is configured to be disposed behind a windshield of the equipped vehicle so as to view at least generally forwardly of the equipped vehicle through the windshield;
wherein at least one of said cameras comprises a rearward viewing camera that is configured to be disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle so as to view at least generally rearwardly of the equipped vehicle;
a control comprising an image processor operable to process image data captured by said cameras;
wherein, when the equipped vehicle is moving and responsive at least in part to a determination, via image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward v

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Salomonsson Ove J
• Van Dan Elzen Christopher L

Classifications

• G08G1/096725 Primary

  where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control · CPC title

• G08G1/166 Primary

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

• B60T7/22

  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

• B60R2300/8066

  for monitoring rearward traffic · CPC title

• B60R2300/804

  for lane monitoring · CPC title