Method and system for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9754488-B2
Application number	US-201514729255-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle for indicating that the vehicle is in the proximity of an object includes detecting a degree of proximity to the object, calculating a value of the distance (d) between the vehicle and the object, generating the alarm signal at least as an audio signal when the distance (d) is less than a predetermined first threshold value (d 1 ), and generating the alarm signal in the form of a sequence of signal stages as the distance (d) decreases. A system is also provided for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle for indicating that the vehicle is in the proximity of an object, the method comprising:
detecting a degree of proximity to the object;
calculating a value of a distance (d) between the vehicle and the object;
generating the alarm signal at least as an audio signal when the distance (d) is less than a predetermined first threshold value (d 1 ); and
generating the alarm signal in the form of a sequence of signal stages as the distance (d) decreases;
wherein a first signal stage is generated in the form of a combination of an audio signal and a vibratory signal causing vibrations in a steering wheel in the vehicle, a second signal stage is generated in the form of an audio signal gradually increasing in volume and treble, and with a gradually decreasing level of reverb, as the distance (d) between the vehicle and the object decreases, and a third signal stage is generated in the form of a combination of a vibratory signal causing vibrations in the steering wheel and an audio signal being of higher volume than during the first signal stage.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the first signal stage in the form of a brief vibratory signal combined with an audio signal in the form of a relatively low volume beep.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
generating the signal stages in a manner wherein the first signal stage is initiated when the distance (d) is less than the first threshold value (d 1 ), and the second signal stage is initiated when the distance (d) is less than a second threshold value (d 2 ), which is lower than the first threshold value (d 1 ).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the third signal stage comprising a continuous vibratory signal combined with an audio signal in the form of a relatively high volume beep.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising initiating the third signal stage when the distance (d) is less than a third threshold value (d 3 ) which is less than the first threshold value (d 1 ) and the second threshold value (d 2 ).

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an audio signal having a reverse reverb during a time period immediately before the third signal stage.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising initiating a light signal to indicate that the alarm signal is generated.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the alarm signal to be generated upon detection of the vehicle being driven in reverse.

9. A system for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle for indicating that the vehicle is in the proximity of an object, the system comprising:
at least one detector unit configured for detecting a degree of proximity to the object; and
a control unit configured for calculating a value of a distance (d) between the vehicle and the object and for generating the alarm signal in at least an audible manner if the distance (d) is less than a predetermined first threshold value (d 1 );
wherein the control unit is configured for generating a first signal stage in the form of a combination of an audio signal and a vibratory signal causing vibrations in a steering wheel in the vehicle, a second signal stage in the form of an audio signal gradually increasing in volume and treble, and with a gradually decreasing level of reverb, as the distance (d) between the vehicle and the object decreases, and a third signal stage in the form of a combination of a vibratory signal causing vibrations in the steering wheel and an audio signal being of higher volume than during the first signal stage.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising alarm units for generating the alarm signal in the form of a sequence of signal stages as the distance (d) decreases.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the alarm units comprise at least a loudspeaker and a vibration unit.

12. A vehicle comprising a system according to claim 9 .

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1 .

14. A control unit for generating an alarm signal in a vehicle for indicating that the vehicle is in the proximity of an object, the control unit configured to perform the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Nielsen Jon Werk

Classifications

• G08G1/165 Primary

  for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• B60Q9/007 Primary

  providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound · CPC title