Vehicle collision mitigation
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorDanil V. Prokhorov
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for mitigating a vehicle collision are disclosed. The device and method include monitoring for an object within a vehicle travel path that includes a heightened travel hazard level. Upon detecting the object within the vehicle travel path, a closing distance rate, relative to the object, is compared with a closing threshold. When the closing distance rate compares unfavorably with the closing threshold, a secondary vehicle travel path based on the closing distance rate is determined, producing a determined secondary vehicle travel path. A command data output is generated for transmission to autonomously engage the determined secondary vehicle travel path.
Claims12
A method for mitigating a vehicle collision, the method comprising:
- monitoring for an object within a vehicle travel path;
- upon detecting the object within the vehicle travel path, comparing a closing distance rate relative to the object with a closing threshold;
- when the closing distance rate does not exceed the closing threshold, determining a plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths of the vehicle originating from a current location of the vehicle;
- determining, from the plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths, a secondary vehicle travel path to produce a determined secondary vehicle travel path which functions to mitigate the closing distance rate, the determined secondary vehicle travel path including an adjacent traffic lane defining an unavailable gap for receiving the vehicle;
- and
- when the closing distance rate exceeds the closing threshold, generating a command data output for transmission to autonomously engage the determined secondary vehicle travel path.
A method for mitigating a vehicle collision, the method comprising:
- monitoring, via low resolution sensor device data, for an object within a vehicle travel path of a vehicle;
- upon detecting an object within the vehicle travel path, comparing a closing distance rate relative to the object with a closing threshold;
- when the closing distance rate does not exceed the closing threshold, determining a plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths of the vehicle originating from a current location of the vehicle;
- determining, from the plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths, a secondary vehicle travel path to produce a determined secondary vehicle travel path, wherein the determined secondary travel path functions to mitigate the closing distance rate, the determined secondary vehicle travel path including an adjacent traffic lane defining an unavailable gap for receiving the vehicle;
- when the closing distance rate exceeds the closing threshold:
- initiating a vehicle control handover to an autonomous operational mode;
- and
- autonomously engaging the determined secondary vehicle travel path.
A vehicle control unit comprising:
- a communication interface to service communication with a vehicle network;
- a processor communicably coupled to the communication interface and a plurality of sensor devices;
- and
- memory communicably coupled to the processor and storing:
- an object monitoring module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- monitor low resolution sensor device data of at least one of the plurality of sensor devices for an object within a vehicle travel path that;
- upon detection of the object within the vehicle travel path, compare a closing distance rate relative to the object with a closing threshold;
- and
- when the closing distance rate exceeds the closing threshold, produce a collision avoidance signal;
- and
- a vehicle collision mitigation module including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
- produce, in response to the collision avoidance signal, a handover command operable to initiate a vehicle control handover to an autonomous operational mode for transmission via the communication interface;
- when the closing distance rate does not exceed the closing threshold, determine a plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths of the vehicle originating from a current location of the vehicle;
- and
- determine, from the plurality of optional secondary vehicle travel paths, a secondary vehicle travel path to produce a determined secondary vehicle travel path, wherein the determined secondary travel path functions to mitigate the closing distance rate, the determined secondary vehicle travel path including an adjacent traffic lane defining an unavailable gap for receiving the vehicle;
- and
- generate a vehicle action command operable to autonomously engage the determined secondary vehicle travel path for transmission via the communication interface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.