Abstract:
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting a potential collision between a plurality of vehicles and alerting the operator to the potential collision. If the operator fails to heed the alert, the system may also assume control of the vehicle until the dangerous situation is passed. In connection with these systems, each vehicle is equipped with a telematics system that defines a safe perimeter around the vehicle. The safe perimeter is constantly changed in response to the velocity and acceleration of the vehicle. The telematics system is in communication with the telematics systems of other vehicles in the vicinity and the systems exchange data about the current extent of their safe perimeters. If a telematics system detects the impingement of one of the other safe perimeters into its safe perimeter, the alert is triggered.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to systems and methods for detecting a collision hazard between two vehicles and alerting the operators of the vehicles to the hazard.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Communication and informational systems in vehicles continue to grow more powerful, thus providing increasing convenience to vehicle occupants. For example, some vehicles are now equipped with relatively sophisticated computer systems to enhance the driving experience and to provide useful information to vehicle occupants. Such vehicle-based systems may also wirelessly communicate with even more powerful computing systems external to the vehicle. Additionally, it is possible for such systems to communicate wirelessly with similar systems in other vehicles.  
         [0003]     An increasingly popular computerized feature found in some vehicles is a navigation system. Such systems come in a variety of forms, and a relatively common feature of such systems is that the vehicle in such a system will be equipped with some sort of location-specifying device, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) device. Although these systems have their primary use in navigation, if vehicles having systems that know the location and velocity of the vehicles are provided with a suitable means of inter-vehicle communication, it becomes possible to use such information in a collision detection and avoidance system. Various rudimentary attempts at such systems have been proposed in the art, each suffering from various drawbacks. This disclosure addresses these drawbacks and proposes a system that solves the problems of the prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     Disclosed herein are systems and methods for detecting a potential collision between a plurality of vehicles and alerting the operator to the potential collision. If the operator fails to heed the alert, the system may also assume control of the vehicle until the dangerous situation is passed. In connection with these systems, each vehicle is equipped with a telematics system that defines a safe perimeter around the vehicle. The safe perimeter is constantly changed in response to the velocity and acceleration of the vehicle. The telematics system is in communication with the telematics systems of other vehicles in the vicinity and the systems exchange data about the current extent of their safe perimeters. If a telematics system detects the impingement of one of the other safe perimeters into its safe perimeter, the alert is triggered. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     Embodiments of the inventive aspects of this disclosure will be best understood with reference to the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a vehicle communication system for facilitating wireless communication between vehicles.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a typical vehicle telematics system with which the collision detection and avoidance system of the present invention may be used.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates multiple vehicles equipped with a collision detection and avoidance system according to the present invention traveling on a network of streets.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a plurality of vehicles equipped with a collision detection and avoidance system according to the present invention traveling in a safe scenario.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a plurality of vehicles equipped with a collision detection and avoidance system according to the present invention traveling in an unsafe scenario. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     Disclosed herein is a system for detecting a potential collision hazard between two (or more) vehicles and providing an alert to the operators of the vehicles. One critical aspect of such a system is the concept of a dynamic safe perimeter around the vehicle. The shape and size of the safe perimeter may be constantly changed in response to the velocity (i.e., speed and direction of travel) of the vehicle as well as its acceleration (i.e., the rate of change of the vehicle&#39;s velocity). Before explaining the details of such an embodiment, an exemplary vehicle telematics system in which such a system can be used is described in some detail, with details of the inventive implementations to follow. Not all features of the described system are necessary to implement the potential collision detection and alert system described herein, but are shown nonetheless to illustrate generally features of typical telematics systems.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary vehicle-based communication and informational system  10 . In this system, vehicles  26  are equipped with wireless communication devices  22 , which can wirelessly transmit or receive information to or from a transceiver tower coupled to a digital wireless network  28 , which in turn may further transmit information to or receive information from an analog wireless network  30  if necessary or appropriate. Moreover, the wireless communication devices  22  may receive information from satellites  32 , which is particularly useful in conjunction with GPS capabilities of the disclosed system which will be discussed in further detail later. Ultimately, either network may be coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN)  38  on route to a service center  24 , which ultimately acts as the host for the communication system  10 . As well as administering communications between vehicles  26  wirelessly connected to the system, and providing information to each vehicle  26  on an individualized basis, service center  24  can provide other services to the vehicles  26 , such as emergency services  34  or other information services  36  (such as restaurant services, directory assistance, mapping programs, etc.). Alternatively, and particularly advantageous to the present invention, the vehicles  26  may be equipped for direct inter-vehicle communication. This direct, inter-vehicle communication may be effected by any number of means, including various radio frequency (RF) networking techniques, which are known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0013]     Further details of the electronics within vehicle  26  are shown in  FIG. 2 . The electronics include a main control unit  50  and a telematics control unit (TCU)  40 . The main control unit  50  controls and administers communication and informational processing within the vehicle, and interfaces with or includes a user interface  51  with which the vehicle occupants interacts to send or receive communications or information. The main control unit  50  may include a microphone  68 , a keypad  72 , speaker(s)  78 , and a display  79 . These components within the user interface  51  may be integrated into a single unit (and, for example, integrated within the dashboard of the vehicle), or may be distributed throughout the vehicle. For example, the speakers  78  may comprise the standard radio speakers or may constitute a dedicated speaker or speakers. Additionally or alternatively to the display  79 , the main control unit  50  may include a “heads up display” module  81  for visibly displaying information from the system via reflection from the front windshield as is known.  
         [0014]     The main control unit  50  also comprises a navigation unit  62 , which may include a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system for allowing the vehicle&#39;s location to be pinpointed, which is useful in the context of the invention for reasons to be explained later. As is known, the navigation unit  62  communicates with GPS satellites (such as satellites  32 ) via a receiver  67 . Ultimately communications and information are processed by a controller  56 . A memory  64  is coupled to the controller  56  to store data and processes for use in the system, such as, for example, the anti-collision system disclosed herein. The controller  56  also communicates via a vehicle bus interface  58  to a vehicle bus  60 , which carries information and other data pertinent to vehicle operation throughout the vehicle.  
         [0015]     TCU  40  is similarly coupled to the vehicle bus  60 , and hence the main control unit  50 . The TCU  40  is essentially responsible for sending and receiving voice or data communications to and from the vehicle. TCU  40  comprises a telematics controller  46  to organize such communications, and a network access device  42  which include a wireless transceiver  43 . Although shown as separate components, one skilled in the art will recognize that aspects of the main control unit  50  and the TCU  40  can be combined or swapped.  
         [0016]     Alternatively, and although not shown in the Figures, the TCU  40  could be coupled to another device present in the vehicle having wireless capability. For example, the vehicle occupant&#39;s cell phone may be used for this purpose, which may be wired to the TCU  40  and/or in wireless communication with the TCU  40  (e.g., using Bluetooth technology). Moreover, the GPS capability when using such an alternative device such as a cell phone may reside in the cell phone or in the TCU  40 . Thus, the TCU  40  need not necessarily itself contain a wireless access device.  
         [0017]     Additionally, another useful feature in connection with the potential collision detection and warning system described herein is the ability for vehicle telematics systems to communicate with similar systems in other vehicles having a certain location characteristic. For example, it is obviously desirable for collision detection and avoidance purposes if vehicles that are traveling on the same roadway be in communication with each other once they are within a certain proximity. Conversely, vehicles traveling on the other side of a divided highway present substantially less, if any, collision hazard and thus it is not necessarily desirable for these vehicles to be in communication. Alternatively, if the highway is not divided, there is a collision hazard and it is desirable for these vehicles to communicate. Similarly, it may be desirable for vehicles traveling on intersecting streets to be in communication when they are both approaching the intersection, but not once one or the other has passed the intersection. One suitable system for establishing communication between vehicles based on location and direction of travel is described below.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  shows various users each able to potentially communicate with the system. Five users  26  are shown in this example, three being located on a roadway (“Main Street”), and two being located on cross streets (“1 st  and 2 nd  Streets). All users have user interfaces  51  similar to those disclosed in  FIG. 2 . User  26   a  is headed eastbound on First Street. Users  26   b  and  26   c  are traveling northbound on Main Street, while user  26   d  is traveling southbound on the same street. User  26   e  is headed westbound on Second Street.  
         [0019]     The various ways in which the users  26  can participate in or receive communications from other user is dictated on the basis of their locations and/or orientations (headings). The locations and/or headings of user  26   a - e  may be tracked by the service center  24  ( FIG. 1 ). Alternatively, vehicles  26  may be communicating directly with each other in a peer-to-peer configuration. In either case, a telematics system aboard each vehicle transmits information regarding the location (e.g., longitude/latitude), heading (or orientation), speed, and identity of the users to certain other users on a periodic basis as explained further below. Such location, heading, and identity information for a particular user may be formatted in any number of ways.  
         [0020]     Receipt of such information allows communications to be tailored for individual users based on a location or heading (orientation). For example, for collision detection and avoidance, vehicle  26   a  needs only to communicate with vehicle  26   d . On the other hand, vehicle  26   e  needs to be communicating with vehicle  26   d  and vehicles  26   b  and  26   c . Vehicles  26   b  and  26   c  will necessarily be in communication with each other, but may or may not need to be in communication with vehicle  26   d  depending on relative speeds and how the road is divided. To determine how the road is divided, the system may advantageously be integrated with a map database, various implementations of which are known to those skilled in the art.  
         [0021]     The system described in the preceding paragraphs may be readily implemented by one skilled in the art to allow for direct inter-vehicle communication based on location, heading and other information. For example, if the vehicles are interconnected by a packet-based network, the systems may exchange data packets containing relevant location, heading and other information and the telematics systems may then determine whether it is appropriate to maintain a communication link between the vehicles based on such information.  
         [0022]     With these concepts understood, embodiments of the invention can be set forth with more clarity.  FIG. 4  shows a plurality of vehicles  100 ,  102 , and  104 . Each of these vehicles has defined around it a safe perimeter (or “bubble”)  101 ,  103 , and  105 . Additionally, the vehicles are in communication with each other using some form of wireless networking  106 . Wireless network  106  may be implemented directly between the vehicles by any of a variety of wireless communication systems that are known to those skilled in the art. Radio frequency (RF) networking is believed to be a particularly advantageous method of implementing the present invention. Inter-vehicle communication may also be accomplished by having each vehicle communicate with a base-station  39  ( FIG. 1 ) or server  24  ( FIG. 1 ) that is in communication with the other vehicles as described above. Selection and implementation of a particular technology to implement the inter-vehicle communication is an ordinary design choice that can be made by one having ordinary skill in the art weighing various factors and goals. The system of the present invention is equally suitable for use with any of these technologies.  
         [0023]     Each of the safe perimeters  101 ,  103 , and  105  disposed about their respective vehicles is dynamically defined in shape and size by the vehicle&#39;s velocity (speed and direction of travel). The bubble may also be defined by the vehicle&#39;s acceleration (rate of change of speed and/or direction of travel). For example, the faster the vehicle&#39;s speed, the farther in front of the vehicle it is necessary to extend the safe perimeter. Similarly, if the vehicle is changing direction, i.e., turning, it is desirable to extend the safe perimeter farther in the direction of the turn. If the vehicle is traveling straight, it is usually not necessary for the bubble to extend very far from the vehicle to the left or right, because the vehicle is not traveling in this direction. However, it may be desirable to extend the perimeter to the sides when the vehicle is in proximity to an intersection to provide advanced warning of a potential side impact form a car traveling on the intersecting road. Various specific velocity and acceleration parameters for dynamically shaping and sizing the safe perimeter are contemplated. The selection and weighting of particular parameters is a design decision lying within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art, and, as such, they are not set forth in detail here. In any event, the extent of the safe perimeter is easily calculated at the controller  56  by receiving speed, heading, location information from vehicle bus  60 . Additionally, the extent of the safe perimeter may be updated dynamically in response to changes in such information.  
         [0024]     With reference to  FIG. 5 , vehicles  100  and  102  have changed position such that their safe perimeters are overlapping. Particularly, vehicle  102  has approached the rear of vehicle  100 . In response to this incursion, an alert message  107  is given to the operator of vehicle  100  warning of a vehicle approaching from behind. Similarly, an alert message  108  is given to the operator of vehicle  102  warning of a vehicle ahead. These alert messages may be in the form of various audio or visual warnings given to the operator, including, for example, warning lights, text messages on a display, and/or audible alerts such as warning chimes or verbal warnings, preferably through user interface  51 . Additionally, it is possible for the telematics system of the vehicles to intervene as necessary if the warnings are not heeded. For example, the telematics system could send appropriate signals through the vehicle bus  60  to the driving electronics (not shown) to reduce the speed of vehicle  102  to allow vehicle  100  to pull away. In contrast to systems of the prior art, these warnings result from the encroachment of safe perimeter  103  corresponding to vehicle  102  into safe perimeter  101  corresponding to vehicle  100 , and not because of the presence of an object in proximity to the vehicle. Because the system of the present invention relies on detecting the overlap of a safe perimeter around the vehicles rather than direct physical proximity of the vehicles, it is necessary for the vehicles to be in communication with each other, e.g., by using wireless network  106 . This communication allows the vehicles to exchange information identifying the extent of their safe perimeters.  
         [0025]     In a first embodiment, the telematics system in each vehicle must know the absolute position of the vehicle, for example using GPS. As is known to those having skill in the art, ordinary GPS signals may not allow the location of the vehicle to be determined with sufficient precision to accomplish the objectives of the present invention, and thus it is contemplated that such an embodiment would use differential GPS (DGPS) or another position refinement system known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such systems are discussed in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,132 to Breed et al. and in published U.S. Patent application 2002/0198632 also to Breed et al., each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.  
         [0026]     It is also necessary for the telematics system in each vehicle to know the velocity of the vehicle. Based on the velocity, and possibly the acceleration, the telematics system determines the extent of the safe perimeter around the vehicle. Once determined, coordinates sufficient to identify the boundaries of the safe perimeter are transmitted via the wireless network  106  to other vehicles in proximity. Once a telematics system in a particular vehicle has received coordinates identifying the boundaries of bubbles corresponding to vehicles in the proximity, it can compare these bubbles to its own and determine whether there is any overlap. If so, an appropriate warning can be given to the operator of the vehicle. This process is periodically repeated as the vehicles travel and different vehicles approach or move away from each other.  
         [0027]     As discussed briefly above, it is preferred that the vehicles communicate directly with each other, although the present invention also contemplates a system in which the vehicles communicate with each other via a base station  39  or server  24  ( FIG. 1 ). In such an embodiment, the comparison to determine whether there is any overlap between the safe perimeters of the vehicles and the generation of alert messages may be done by the server or by the telematics system of each vehicle. Either technique is contemplated by the present invention.  
         [0028]     In an alternative embodiment, it is not necessary for the telematics system to know its absolute position on the surface of the earth. In this embodiment the telematics system uses proximity detection sensors to locate nearby vehicles. Techniques that may be used for this include ultrasound, infrared laser, radar, and the like. Various proximity detection systems suitable for use with the present invention are disclosed in the Breed references discussed above and incorporated herein. Once the telematics system determines what vehicles are in its proximity and their location, the telematics system then correlates these detected vehicles with the messages it is receiving from vehicles in the vicinity in which these vehicles identify the extent of their safe perimeters. The telematics system, which has already computed the extent of the safe perimeter for its own vehicle, then compares the location of the received safe perimeters, originating from the detected targets, with its own safe perimeter and alarms the operator if there is an impingement, as in the preceding embodiment. Also, the communication between the vehicles is preferably direct between the vehicles, although systems involving a server or base station are also contemplated.  
         [0029]     Furthermore, it is also contemplated that a system in accordance with any of the various teachings of this disclosure could also be equipped to detect other objects within its safe perimeter, such as stationary objects or other vehicles not equipped with the system described herein. In such a case, the alarm to the operator will necessarily be based on the object being within the safe perimeter rather than an overlap of safe perimeters.  
         [0030]     Additional refinements of the system are also possible. For example, rather than a single safe perimeter around the vehicle, it is contemplated that a system in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure would include nested safe perimeters corresponding to different alert levels. For example, an impingement into the outermost safe perimeter might result in a notification to the operator, while an impingement into the innermost safe perimeter could result in the telematics system assuming control of the vehicle to avoid the hazard. Such a system could also provide an alarm based on other conditions such as relative velocity. A vehicle with a relatively small relative velocity might not trigger an alarm within a inward safe perimeter, while a vehicle with a relatively large relative velocity would trigger an alarm by impinging only on a more outward safe perimeter. As noted above, the selection and weighting of particular parameters of the safe perimeter are design decisions lying within the purview of one of ordinary skill in the art, and, as such, they are not set forth in detail here.  
         [0031]     It should be understood that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are capable of many modifications. To the extent such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, they are intended to be covered by this patent.