Patent Grant
9953533
The present disclosure relates to a road hazard warning system for vehicles.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure, which is not necessarily prior art.
Vehicles equipped with dedicated short range communication (DSRC) typically provide position information and basic status information. While typical DSRC systems are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement, particularly for vehicle platoon applications in which multiple vehicles travel in a platoon behind a lead platoon vehicle. With current vehicle platoons, issues may arise where the lead vehicle must stop quickly, such as due to a hazard. In some instances, when the lead vehicle stops quickly it may be difficult for the following vehicles to stop in time. The present teachings address various issues with existing DSRC systems and vehicle platoon applications. For example, the present teachings advantageously provide advance warnings of hazards by way of DSRC to platoon vehicles, as well as non-platoon vehicles.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
The present teachings provide for a hazard warning system for vehicles. The system includes hazard detection sensors and a primary transmitter for a primary vehicle that are configured to transmit information regarding a hazard and path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary receiver for a secondary vehicle is configured to receive the information regarding the hazard detected by the hazard detection sensors, and the path history of the primary vehicle. A secondary vehicle control module is configured to notify a driver of the secondary vehicle of the hazard when the secondary vehicle is traveling along a path similar to that of the primary vehicle.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of select embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A primary vehicle 12 includes hazard detection sensors 14. The hazard detection sensors 14 can be any suitable sensors configured to identify any suitable hazards. For example, the hazard detection sensors 14 can be configured to detect one or more of a vehicle collision, disabled vehicle, traffic, hazardous road conditions, etc. The hazard detection sensors 14 can be any suitable hazard detection sensors, and can include any one or more of radar, lidar, sonar, braking sensors, collision detection sensors, road condition sensors, traction sensors, etc.
The hazard detection sensors 14 can be configured to detect any other hazards as well. For example, traction sensors of the hazard detection sensors 14 may be configured to detect hazardous road conditions (e.g., slick road conditions, such as due to rain or ice, loose gravel, etc.). Radar, lidar, and/or sonar of the hazard detection sensors 14 may be configured to detect heavy traffic conditions and any obstacles, such as other vehicles, pedestrians, and other stationary structures. The transmitter/receiver 18 of the primary vehicle 12 is configured to receive notification of any hazards, such as transmissions from other vehicles, police, road commission alerts, and alerts from any other source.
In this application, the term “module” may be replaced with the term “circuit.” The term “module” may refer to, be part of, or include processor hardware (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code and memory hardware (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor hardware. The code is configured to provide the features of the modules, controllers, and systems described herein. The term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does not encompass transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagating through a medium (such as on a carrier wave). The term computer-readable medium is therefore considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of a non-transitory computer-readable medium are nonvolatile memory devices (such as a flash memory device, an erasable programmable read-only memory device, or a mask read-only memory device), volatile memory devices (such as a static random access memory device or a dynamic random access memory device), magnetic storage media (such as an analog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and optical storage media (such as a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-ray Disc).
The control module 20 of the primary vehicle 12 is configured to process data gathered by the hazard detection sensors 14, as well as transmissions (such as DSRC transmissions) and GPS signals received by the transmitter/receiver 18, to identify the type and location of any detected hazards, such as the collision 16 illustrated. The control module 20 is further configured to monitor the path of the primary vehicle 12, such as by way of GPS. The control module 20 is also configured to operate the transmitter/receiver 18 to transmit data regarding any detected hazards, such as the collision 16, as well as historical path information and current location of the primary vehicle 12, as well as any suitable operating parameters of the vehicle 12, such as speed, heading, etc. The transmitter/receiver 18 transmits such information using any suitable transmission protocol, such as DSRC, for receipt by any suitable vehicle or roadside station.
A secondary vehicle 50 includes a transmitter/receiver 52, which can be any suitable transmitter/receiver including a DSRC transmitter/receiver and a GPS receiver. The transmitter/receiver 52 is configured to receive data transmitted by the transmitter/receiver 18 of the primary vehicle 12, which can include information regarding any hazard detected by the hazard detection sensors 14, as well as path information of the primary vehicle 12. Data received by the transmitter/receiver 52 is processed by control module 54 of the secondary vehicle 50.
The control module 54 is configured to notify a driver of the secondary vehicle 50 of the hazard 16 detected by the hazard detection sensors 14 in any suitable manner, such as with any suitable audible alert and/or any suitable visual alert, such as a visual alert displayed on an instrument cluster, heads up display, and/or center counsel display of the secondary vehicle 50. The control module 54 is also configured to determine if the secondary vehicle 50 is traveling along a path similar to that of the primary vehicle 12. If the secondary vehicle 50 is traveling along a path similar or identical to the path traveled by the primary vehicle 12, the secondary vehicle 50 is likely to encounter the same hazard 16 that the primary vehicle 12 encountered. The driver of the secondary vehicle 50 will thus have an early warning of the hazard 16 and be able to prepare for the hazard 16.
For example, if the hazard 16 is ice, the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 will have extra time to reduce the speed of the secondary vehicle 50. If the hazard 16 is heavy traffic, the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 may be able to use the information regarding the traffic to reroute the secondary vehicle 50 and avoid the traffic. If the hazard 16 is a collision, the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 will have extra time to stop the secondary vehicle 50.
If the status information of the primary vehicle 12 received by the transmitter/receiver 52 of the secondary vehicle 50 indicates that the primary vehicle 12 has come to a stop due to the hazard 16, such as when the hazard 16 is a collision blocking the path of the primary vehicle 12, the control module 54 is configured to consider the stopped primary vehicle 12 to essentially be part of the hazard 16, and calculate a minimum stopping distance of the secondary vehicle 50 relative to the primary vehicle 12 and/or the hazard 16. The minimum stopping distance is based at least on the speed and weight of the secondary vehicle 50, and advantageously informs the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 when the brakes of the secondary vehicle 50 must be engaged in order to bring the secondary vehicle 50 to a stop prior to reaching the primary vehicle 12. The minimum stopping distance can be calculated to include a driver reaction time buffer that increases the minimum stopping distance any suitable amount to take into account reaction time of the driver.
The transmitter/receiver 52 of the secondary vehicle 50 can receive information regarding any hazard 16 detected by the hazard detection sensors 14, operating parameters of the primary vehicle 12, and path history of the primary vehicle 12 directly from the primary vehicle 12, or by way of intermediate vehicle 60. The intermediate vehicle 60 includes a transmitter/receiver 62, which can be any suitable transmitter/receiver, including a DSRC transmitter/receiver and a GPS receiver. The transmitter/receiver 62 is configured to receive information transmitted from the transmitter/receiver 18 of the primary vehicle 12 regarding any hazard detected, as well as path history and operating parameters of the primary vehicle 12. A control module 64 of the intermediate vehicle 60 is configured to retransmit such information using the transmitter/receiver 62, as well as transmit operating parameters and path history of the intermediate vehicle 60. Any suitable operating parameters of the vehicle 60 can be transmitted, such as speed, heading, path history, and intended route. Such transmissions from the intermediate vehicle 60 advantageously provide the secondary vehicle 50, as well as any other surrounding vehicle, with an early warning of the hazard 16, and effectively increasing the range of the transmitter/receiver 18 of the primary vehicle 12.
Knowing the operating parameters and the path of the intermediate vehicle 60 also helps the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 take any action necessary in response to the intermediate vehicle 60. For example, if the transmitted operating status of the intermediate vehicle 60 indicates that the intermediate vehicle 60 has stopped, such as due to the primary vehicle 12 having stopped at the hazard 16, the control module 54 of the secondary vehicle 50 is configured to take the position of the intermediate vehicle 60 into account when calculating the minimum stopping distance for the secondary vehicle 50. Although
The secondary vehicle 50 can be operated on its own, or as part of a vehicle platoon. For example, the secondary vehicle 50 can be a lead platoon vehicle followed by a following platoon vehicle 70. The platoon of vehicles can include any suitable number of following vehicles, even though
The following platoon vehicle 70 includes any suitable transmitter/receiver 72, such as any suitable DSRC and GPS transmitter/receiver 72. The transmitter/receiver 72 is configured to receive information transmitted from the transmitter/receiver 72 of the lead platoon vehicle 50 regarding the hazard 16, as well as operating parameters and path of the primary vehicle 12, the secondary vehicle 50, and any intermediate vehicle(s) 60. Based on this information, a control module 74 of the following platoon vehicle 70 is configured to calculate a minimum stopping distance (which can include a driver reaction buffer) for the following platoon vehicle 70 relative to at least one of the lead platoon vehicle 50, the hazard 16, the primary vehicle 12, and the intermediate vehicle 60 based on at least the weight and speed of the following platoon vehicle 70. The control module 74 is configured to alert a driver of a following platoon vehicle 70 of such calculated minimum stopping distances, and alert the driver when any of the minimum stopping distances have been reached. The minimum stopping distances can include any suitable buffer to take into account reaction time of the driver. If the control module 74 determines that the following platoon vehicle 70 has reached its minimum stopping distance relative to at least one of the lead platoon vehicle 50, the hazard 16, the primary vehicle 12, and the intermediate vehicle 60, the control module 74 can alert the driver of the following platoon vehicle 70 and instruct the driver of the following platoon vehicle 70 to disengage from the platoon.
The transmitter/receiver 72 of the following platoon vehicle 70 can also be in receipt of basic safety messages (BSMs) transmitted by the transmitter/receiver 52 of the lead platoon vehicle 50. For example, when the control module 54 of the lead platoon vehicle 50 determines that the lead platoon vehicle 50 has reached a minimum stopping distance with respect to any one or more of the hazard 16, the primary vehicle 12, and/or the intermediate vehicle 60, the control module 54 of the lead platoon vehicle 50 is configured to generate an alert to the following platoon vehicle 70 (transmitted by the transmitter/receiver 52 and received by the transmitter/receiver 72) instructing the driver of the following platoon vehicle 70 to disengage from the platoon. The BSM is received by the transmitter/receiver 72 and processed by the control module 74, which generates the alert to the driver instructing the driver to disengage from the platoon.
With continued reference to
At block 120, the control module 54 calculates a minimum stopping distance, which includes any suitable driver reaction time buffer, of the secondary vehicle 50 relative to at least one of location of the hazard 16 and location of the primary vehicle 12. At block 122, the control module 54 notifies the driver of the secondary vehicle 50, which as described above can be operated as either a lone vehicle or a lead platoon vehicle, when the secondary vehicle 50 has reached the minimum stopping distance. When the secondary vehicle 50 is the lead platoon vehicle, the control module 54 is configured to instruct the driver of the secondary vehicle 50 to disengage the platoon when the minimum stopping distance has been reached.
With reference to block 124, the control module 74 of following platoon vehicle 70 is configured to instruct a driver of the following vehicle 70 to disengage from the platoon when the lead platoon vehicle 50 reaches a minimum stopping distance with respect to the hazard, the primary vehicle 12, and/or the intermediate vehicle 60. With reference to block 126, the control module 74 of the following platoon vehicle 70 is configured to instruct the driver thereof to disengage from the vehicle platoon when the following platoon vehicle 70 reaches a minimum stopping distance with respect to the hazard 16, the primary vehicle 12, the intermediate vehicle 60, and/or the lead platoon vehicle 50.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
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