Method and apparatus for warning following vehicles of frontally escalating longitudinal traffic
AssigneeDaimler AG
InventorsKarl-Heinz Baumann, Michael Fehring, Rainer Justen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and a device for warning following vehicles in a group of several sequential vehicles, including at least a leading vehicle, a middle vehicle and a following vehicle, wherein a warning is transmitted from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle. A total distance and a total relative speed between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle are calculated based on measurements made by the middle vehicle. The total distance and total relative speed are used to determine whether a critical approach of the following vehicle to the leading vehicle is occurring, and if so, an automatic warning is transmitted from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle.
Claims12
A method for warning a vehicle in a group of vehicles which are traveling one behind another, including at least a leading vehicle, a middle vehicle and a following vehicle, said method comprising:
- calculating, by a control unit of the middle vehicle, a total distance and a total relative speed between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle, based on relative speed and distance information determined by the control unit of the middle vehicle;
- determining, by the control unit of the middle vehicle, whether a critical approach of the following vehicle to the leading vehicle is occurring based on said total distance and total relative speed;
- and
- when a critical approach is occurring, transmitting an automatic warning from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle.
A middle vehicle, comprising:
- a control unit configured to warn a vehicle in a group of vehicles which are traveling one behind another, including at least a leading vehicle, the middle vehicle and a following vehicle, said control unit configured to calculate
- a total distance and a total relative speed between the leading vehicle and the following vehicle, based on relative speed and distance information determined by the control unit of the middle vehicle;
- determine whether a critical approach of the following vehicle to the leading vehicle is occurring based on said total distance and total relative speed;
- and
- when a critical approach is occurring, transmit an automatic warning from the middle vehicle to the following vehicle;
- and
- at least one sensor directed to the front of the middle vehicle that senses a front distance and front relative speed between the middle vehicle and the leading vehicle, and at least one sensor directed to the rear of the middle vehicle that senses a rear distance and rear relative speed between the middle vehicle and the following vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.