Method for reducing repeat false alarm indications in vehicle impact detection systems

A method for reducing repetitive false alarm indications in a vehicle impact detection system for a host vehicle, the method comprising:

• generating false alarm positional information corresponding to a detected object determined to be a false alarm, said false alarm being determined subsequent to an issued warning to a driver, and storing said false alarm positional information in a database;
• and
• periodically evaluating said false alarm positional information in said database and determining, based on predefined removal criteria, whether any of said false alarm positional information in said database is to be removed therefrom;
• wherein said false alarm positional information remaining in said database is used to inhibit the issuance of a warning to a driver of the host vehicle;
• wherein said removal criteria for a given false alarm object is based on the number of times a threat assessment algorithm within the vehicle impact detection system continues to identify the false alarm object as a threat.

A vehicle impact detection system for a host vehicle, comprising:

• an object detection system for identifying objects in a projected path of the host vehicle, said object detection system having a position tracking mechanism for associating an identified object with a reference coordinate system;
• a threat assessment algorithm for evaluating the likelihood of an impact between the host vehicle and objects detected by said object detection system;
• a driver warning mechanism for providing a warning to a driver, said driver warning responsive to an output of said threat assessment algorithm;
• and
• a false alarm learning mechanism for generating and storing in a database false alarm positional information corresponding to a detected object determined to be a false alarm;
• said false alarm learning mechanism periodically evaluating said false alarm positional information in said database and determining, based on predefined removal criteria, whether any of said false alarm positional information in said database is to be removed therefrom;
• wherein said false alarm positional information remaining in said database is used to inhibit the issuance of a warning from said driver warning mechanism.

A vehicle impact detection system for a host vehicle, comprising:

• an object detection system for identifying objects in a projected path of the host vehicle, said object detection system having a position tracking mechanism for associating an identified object with a reference coordinate system;
• a threat assessment algorithm for evaluating the likelihood of an impact between the host vehicle and objects detected by said object detection system;
• a driver warning mechanism for providing a warning to a driver, said driver warning responsive to an output of said threat assessment algorithm;
• and
• a false alarm learning mechanism for generating and storing in a database false alarm positional information corresponding to a detected object determined to be a false alarm;
• said false alarm learning mechanism periodically evaluating said false alarm positional information in said database and determining, based on predefined removal criteria, whether any of said false alarm positional information in said database is to be removed therefrom;
• wherein said false alarm positional information remaining in said database is used to inhibit the issuance of a warning from said driver warning mechanism;
• wherein said removal criteria for a given false alarm object is based on the number of times said threat assessment algorithm continues to identify the false alarm object as a threat when encountered.