Collision avoidance of unattended vehicles
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsMichael A. Kropinski, Thomas E. Bolander, Alexander N. Makris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for protecting an unattended parked vehicle from being impacted by a moving vehicle under control of a driver. The apparatus comprises a detection and alarm system built into the unattended parked vehicle. When a moving vehicle comes within a predetermined distance from the unattended parked vehicle, the apparatus senses the presence of the moving vehicle and activates the alarm system. If the moving vehicle continues to approach the unattended parked vehicle, the activated alarm signals are increased in intensity. Typically, the alarm signals would be in the form of lights flashing and/or horn blowing, or any appropriate combination of audible and visual signals.
Claims26
A method of protecting an unattended parked vehicle from being impacted by a moving object, comprising the steps of:
- a) monitoring a plurality of concentric predetermined distance thresholds around the perimeter of the unattended parked vehicle;
- b) detecting the presence of the moving object within one of the plurality of concentric predetermined distance thresholds;
- c) activating an alarm of an alarm system when the moving object is detected within one of the plurality of concentric predetermined distance thresholds, the intensity of the alarm being dependent upon the distance between the moving object and the unattended parked vehicle.
A collision avoidance system for protecting an unattended parked vehicle from being impacted by a moving vehicle under the control of a driver, comprising:
- a detection apparatus within the unattended parked vehicle;
- a processor within the unattended parked vehicle;
- and
- an alarm system within the unattended parked vehicle, wherein the detection apparatus is configured to sense the presence of a moving vehicle within a predetermined threshold distance from the unattended parked vehicle, wherein the processor is configured to activate the alarm system to warn the driver of the moving vehicle when the detection apparatus indicates that the moving vehicle is within the predetermined threshold distance, and wherein the processor is configured to increase the intensity of the alarm as the moving vehicle approaches the unattended parked vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.