Patent ID: 6268804
Filing Date: 2001-07-31
Classification: B60T,G01S,G08G,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of monitoring operation of a first moving vehicle relative to a second moving vehicle on a road, the method comprising the steps of:estimating the present velocity of said first moving vehicle using location determination (LD) signals received from two or more LD signal sources;estimating a separation distance between said first and second moving vehicles, said second moving vehicle adjacent to and moving in the same general direction as said first moving vehicle in a selected road lane, using ranging signals received from a ranging signal source;estimating a minimum separation distance between said first moving vehicle and said second moving vehicle, said minimum separation distance based on said present velocity of said first moving vehicle;comparing said separation distance and said minimum separation distance; andproviding a signal indicating that said separation distance between said first and second moving vehicles is less than said minimum separation distance, when said separation distance is no greater than said minimum separation distance;providing a second signal indicating that s aid separation distance between said first and second moving vehicles will ultimately become less than said minimum separation distance when said separation distance is greater than said minimum separation distance and said separation distance while initially negative is becoming more positive at a greater than a selected threshold rate with respect to time.