Collision warning system and method

A collision warning method, to be implemented by a collision warning system that is adapted to be used on a subject vehicle, the collision warning system including a storage, a recording device, an output device and a processor electrically connected to the storage, the recording device and the output device, the storage storing a forward-backward distance threshold, at least one left-right distance threshold, at least one blind-spot coverage threshold, a plurality of blind-spot distribution patterns and a vehicle-size reference dataset, the recording device being disposed on the subject vehicle, and recording a view behind the subject vehicle to obtain a video that contains image data, the method comprising:

• the processor determining whether there is a neighboring vehicle that is a large-size vehicle in the video based on the image data;
• in response to determining that there is the neighboring vehicle that is the large-size vehicle in the video, the processor determining whether the neighboring vehicle is directly behind the subject vehicle or obliquely behind the subject vehicle based on the image data of the video;
• in response to determining that the neighboring vehicle is directly behind the subject vehicle, the processor determining whether a first warning condition related to the forward-backward distance threshold is satisfied based on the image data of the video, and controlling the output device to output a first warning notification in response to determining that the first warning condition is satisfied;
• and
• in response to determining that the neighboring vehicle is obliquely behind the subject vehicle,
• the processor generating, based on the vehicle-size reference dataset and the image data of the video, a two-dimensional top-view image that presents a relative position between the subject vehicle and the neighboring vehicle,
• the processor selecting one of the blind-spot distribution patterns that matches the neighboring vehicle,
• the processor overlapping said one of the blind-spot distribution patterns thus selected on the two-dimensional top-view image at a position of the two-dimensional top-view image that corresponds to the neighboring vehicle,
• the processor determining whether a second warning condition is satisfied based on the two-dimensional top-view image with said one of the blind-spot distribution patterns overlapped thereon, the second warning condition being related to said at least one left-right distance threshold and said at least one blind-spot coverage threshold, and
• the processor controlling the output device to output a second warning notification in response to determining that the second warning condition is satisfied.

A collision warning system adapted to be used on a subject vehicle, said collision warning system comprising:

• a storage configured to store a forward-backward distance threshold, at least one left-right distance threshold, at least one blind-spot coverage threshold, a plurality of blind-spot distribution patterns and a vehicle-size reference dataset;
• a recording device disposed on the subject vehicle, and configured to record a view behind the subject vehicle to obtain a video that contains image data;
• an output device;
• and
• a processor electrically connected to said storage, said recording device and said output device, and configured to
• determine whether there is a neighboring vehicle that is a large-size vehicle in the video based on the image data,
• in response to determining that there is the neighboring vehicle that is the large-size vehicle in the video, determine whether the neighboring vehicle is directly behind the subject vehicle or obliquely behind the subject vehicle based on the image data of the video,
• in response to determining that the neighboring vehicle is directly behind the subject vehicle, determine whether a first warning condition related to the forward-backward distance threshold is satisfied based on the image data of the video, and control said output device to output a first warning notification in response to determining that the first warning condition is satisfied, and
• in response to determining that the neighboring vehicle is obliquely behind the subject vehicle,
• generate, based on the vehicle-size reference dataset and the image data of the video, a two-dimensional top-view image that presents a relative position between the subject vehicle and the neighboring vehicle,
• select one of the blind-spot distribution patterns that matches the neighboring vehicle,
• overlap said one of the blind-spot distribution patterns thus selected on the two-dimensional top-view image at a position of the two-dimensional top-view image that corresponds to the neighboring vehicle,
• determine whether a second warning condition is satisfied based on the two-dimensional top-view image with said one of the blind-spot distribution patterns overlapped thereon, the second warning condition being related to said at least one left-right distance threshold and said at least one blind-spot coverage threshold, and
• control said output device to output a second warning notification in response to determining that the second warning condition is satisfied.