Collision avoidance system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545921-B2
Application number	US-201615144114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2016
Priority date	Apr 10, 2013
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A collision avoidance system for use in a vehicle includes a forward-viewing camera and a rearward-viewing camera. Responsive to image processing of captured image data, the system detects the presence of vehicles present ahead of the equipped vehicle and in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in and in an adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in. Responsive to image processing of image data captured by the rearward-viewing camera, the system determines imminence of a rear impact with the equipped vehicle by another vehicle and the system controls a steering system to move the equipped vehicle to the adjacent traffic lane provided the portion of that adjacent lane the equipped vehicle is to move to is unoccupied by a vehicle ahead of, adjacent to or behind the equipped vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A collision avoidance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said collision avoidance system comprising:
a forward-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision avoidance system, said forward-viewing camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;
the field of view of said forward-viewing camera encompassing (i) a traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in and (ii) an adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward-viewing camera;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system detects the presence of vehicles present ahead of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
a rearward-viewing camera disposed at the equipped vehicle, said rearward-viewing camera having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle;
the field of view of said rearward-viewing camera encompassing (i) the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in and (ii) the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system detects the presence of vehicles present rearward of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system determines imminence of a rear impact with the equipped vehicle by a detected vehicle present in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in; and
wherein, responsive to the determined imminence of a rear impact to the equipped vehicle by the detected vehicle present in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in, said collision avoidance system controls a steering system of the equipped vehicle to move the equipped vehicle to the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in provided the portion of that adjacent lane the equipped vehicle is to move to is unoccupied by a vehicle ahead of, adjacent to or behind the equipped vehicle.

2. The collision avoidance system of claim 1 , wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said collision avoidance system determines (i) a difference between the speed of an approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle and (ii) a distance between the approaching vehicle and the equipped vehicle, and wherein a difference between the speed of the approaching vehicle and the speed of the equipped vehicle being such that a collision is imminent, said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact.

3. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by pretensioning a seat belt of the equipped vehicle.

4. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by adjusting a seat of the equipped vehicle.

5. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by adjusting a seat of the equipped vehicle to an upright position.

6. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by adjusting a headrest of the equipped vehicle.

7. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system prepares the equipped vehicle for impact by deploying a roll over bar of the equipped vehicle.

8. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system is operable to wirelessly communicate to the approaching vehicle a request for the approaching vehicle to brake.

9. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein an alert is provided to the driver of the equipped vehicle.

10. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein a braking system of the equipped vehicle is controlled.

11. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system provides a variable visible alert to the driver of the equipped vehicle.

12. The collision avoidance system of claim 2 , wherein said collision avoidance system transmits an alert to a driver of the approaching vehicle via a telematics system.

13. A collision avoidance system suitable for use in a vehicle, said collision avoidance system comprising:
a forward-viewing camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with said collision avoidance system, said forward-viewing camera having a field of view forward of the equipped vehicle;
the field of view of said forward-viewing camera encompassing (i) a traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in and (ii) an adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said forward-viewing camera;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system detects the presence of vehicles present ahead of the equipped vehicle;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said image processor of image data captured by said forward-viewing camera, said collision avoidance system is operable to determine a detected vehicle to be present in the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
a rearward-viewing camera disposed at the equipped vehicle, said rearward-viewing camera having a field of view rearward of the equipped vehicle;
the field of view of said rearward-viewing camera encompassing (i) the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in and (ii) the adjacent traffic lane that is adjacent to the traffic lane the equipped vehicle is driving in;
an image processor operable to process image data captured by said rearward-viewing camera;
wherein, responsive to image processing by said ima

Assignees

• Magna Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Wolf Johannes

Classifications

• B60W30/0953

  the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters · CPC title

• B60W2554/00

  Input parameters relating to objects · CPC title

• B60W2554/80

  Spatial relation or speed relative to objects · CPC title

• B62D15/0265

  Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering · CPC title

• B60R2300/70

  characterised by an event-triggered choice to display a specific image among a selection of captured images · CPC title