Patent ID: 6150932
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: B60K,B60Q,B60W,G01S

Abstract:
A method for providing an automotive vehicle alert for alerting of a condition of closing upon an obstacle preceding the vehicle, comprising the steps of:detecting an obstacle proceeding the vehicle;determining the range to the obstacle;determining the velocity of said vehicle and the velocity of said obstacle;determining the time rate of change in the range and when said rate of change is, in case (a), within a preset tolerance limit of zero or, in case (b), is negative and not within a preset tolerance limit of zero;comparing the determined value of range with a calculated warning distance, said calculated warning distance, in case (a), including assumed values of negative acceleration for said vehicle and obstacle; or, in case (b), includingcalculating a first limiting warning distance between said vehicle and obstacle assuming that the velocity of said obstacle is zero and assuming a constant negative acceleration value for said vehicle, calculating a second limiting warning distance between said vehicle and obstacle assuming that the velocity of said obstacle is equal to said velocity of said vehicle and assuming values of negative acceleration for said vehicle and obstacle, calculating a third warning distance between said vehicle and obstacle using assumed values of negative acceleration for said vehicle and obstacle and the values of said first and second limiting warning distances such that said third warning distance is intermediate to the values of said limiting distances, and comparing said third warning distance with said range; andindicating the alert when the determined range is less than said warning distance for case (a) or case (b), as appropriate.