# US 2014/0156140 A1 · Collision Warning System

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- Number: US 2014/0156140 A1
- Document ID: US20140156140A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/090,671
- Filed: 2013-11-26
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2004-04-08
- Assignees: Mobileye Technologies Ltd.
- Inventors: Gideon Stein; Erez Dagan; Ofer Mano; Amnon Shashua
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156140A1

## CPC

- G06V 20/58: Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
- B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes}
- B60T 7/22: initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle}
- G06T 7/248: {involving reference images or patches}
- G06T 7/337: {involving reference images or patches}
- G06T 7/74: {involving reference images or patches}
- G08G 1/16: Anti-collision systems (road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08)
- G08G 1/161: {Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication}
- G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes}
- G06T 2207/10004: Still image; Photographic image
- G06T 2207/30232: Surveillance
- G06T 2207/30236: Traffic on road, railway or crossing
- G06T 2207/30241: Trajectory
- G06T 2207/30252: Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
- G06T 2207/30256: Lane; Road marking
- G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93})

## Abstract

A method of estimating a time to collision (TTC) of a vehicle with an object comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the object; and determining a TTC from the images that is responsive to a relative velocity and relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-16. (canceled)

### Claim 17

A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:
at least one processing device configured to:
receive a plurality of images from an image capture device;
use the plurality of images to determine at least one value indicative of a Time To Collision (TTC) based on an indicator of a relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object;
compare the at least one value indicative of the TTC with a threshold; and
cause a response in the system if the comparison between the at least one value indicative of the TTC and the threshold indicates a possible collision between the vehicle and the object.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC based on analysis of the plurality of images, the analysis including determining a ratio between respective dimensions of a feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the analysis of the plurality of images includes determining a relative velocity between the vehicle and the object based on the ratio between respective dimensions of the feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the analysis of the plurality of images includes determining a time derivative of a variable associated with the ratio between respective dimensions of the feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC by determining a time derivative of a momentary TTC assuming the relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object is zero.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC based on a relative scale of the object in the plurality of images.

### Claim 23 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the indicator of relative acceleration is derived from the plurality of images.

### Claim 24 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC based on information provided by one or more of: a speedometer associated with the vehicle, a sensor that generates signals responsive to operation of brakes of the vehicle, a sensor that generates signals responsive to operation of a gas pedal of the vehicle.

### Claim 25 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the object includes a second vehicle moving in a same direction as the vehicle.

### Claim 26 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the object includes a second vehicle moving in a different direction from a direction of travel of the vehicle,

### Claim 27 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the object includes a second vehicle moving toward the vehicle.

### Claim 28 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to cause the response if the at least one value indicative of the TTC is below the threshold.

### Claim 29 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the response includes at least one of: a visual warning, an audible warning, and a tactile alarm for a driver of the vehicle.

### Claim 30 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the response includes an application of the brakes of the vehicle.

### Claim 31 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the response includes an alarm for individuals in an environment of the vehicle using least one of: the vehicle's horn and the vehicle's lights.

### Claim 32 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, further including the image capture device, the image capture device configured to acquire image data and generate the plurality of images.

### Claim 33

A vehicle, comprising:
a body;
an image capture device having at least one field of view relative to an exterior of the body, the image capture device configured to acquire image data at time intervals to provide a plurality of images;
at least one processing device configured to:
use the plurality of images to determine at least one value indicative of a Time To Collision (TTC) based on an indicator of a relative acceleration between the vehicle and an object;
compare the at least one value indicative of the TTC with a threshold; and
cause a vehicular response if the comparison between the at least one value indicative of the TTC and the threshold is indicative of a possible collision between the vehicle and the object.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The vehicle of claim 33, further comprising at least one sensor configured to generate signals responsive to operation of at least one of an operation of vehicle brakes and gas pedal, and wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC based on information from the at least one sensor.

### Claim 35 (depends on 33)

The vehicle of claim 33, further comprising an alarm and wherein the response includes activation of the alarm.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The vehicle of claim 33, wherein the response includes activation of vehicle brakes.

### Claim 37 (depends on 33)

The vehicle of claim 33, wherein the response includes activation of vehicle lights.

### Claim 38

A method for providing indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the method comprising:
acquiring, using an image capture device, image data at time intervals to provide a plurality of images;
using the plurality of images to determine at least one value indicative of a Time To Collision (TTC) based on an indicator of a relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object;
comparing the at least one value indicative of the TTC with a threshold; and
causing a response if the comparison between the at least one value indicative of the TTC and the threshold indicates a possible collision between the vehicle and the object.