The present invention relates generally to a sensing or communication system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicle sensing or communication system that utilizes one or more sensors at a vehicle and that utilizes a communication device to communicate with other vehicles.
Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Recently developed Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) radio technology (as known in the art) enables communications-based active safety systems. Communication links for such applications need to be reliable, high speed, low latency links that are immune to extreme weather conditions and that work reliably in high speed mobility conditions and multipath roadway environments.
In 2012, there were 3,921 people killed and 104,000 people injured in crashes involving large trucks. In the United States, 333,000 large trucks were involved in traffic crashes during 2012. According to many insurance carriers, in over 90 percent of right turn squeeze situations, either the truck driver is cited for unsafe turning or even without a citation issued, the trucking company still must pay for the damage to the other vehicle. Because of the length of the truck, if the truck driver or the other vehicle driver misjudge the path of travel of the inside tire, the vehicles end up in a crash. Right turns are typically a problem for trucks. Accidents can occur when other vehicles squeeze into the area along the right side of the truck. The other vehicle may be attempting to pass on the right or make a right turn inside of the turn of the truck.
The present invention provides a driver assistance system for a vehicle that utilizes one or more sensors (such as a camera of the vehicle) and uses a dedicated short range communication (DSRC) radio of the vehicle to communicate to a DSRC radio of another vehicle. The communication system for vehicles comprises a first communication device disposed at a first vehicle and wirelessly transmitting data indicative of a path of travel of the first vehicle, and a second communication device disposed at a second vehicle and receiving the transmitted data from the first communication device of the first vehicle. A control is operable to process data received from the first communication device and data indicative of a projected path of travel of the second vehicle to determine a potential collision between the first and second vehicles. Responsive to determination of a likelihood of collision between the first and second vehicles, the control generates an alert to a driver of the second vehicle.
Optionally, the first vehicle may be a truck and the second vehicle may be a vehicle or car at or near the truck when the truck is about to commence a turning maneuver. Optionally, the second vehicle may be a truck and the first vehicle may be a vehicle or car at or near the truck when the truck is about to commence a turning maneuver.
These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.
100—Truck equipped with 101
101—DSRC radio with turn alert and brake system installed in the truck
102—Path of the truck inner tire
103—DSRC radio with turn alert and brake system installed in the car
104—Car equipped with 103
105—DSRC antenna part of 101
106—DSRC radio part of 101
107—Electronic Control Unit (ECU) part of 101
108—Human Machine Interface (HMI) part of 101
109—Brake control module part of 101
110—Steering control module part of 101
111—DSRC antenna part of 103
112—DSRC radio part of 103
113—Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
114
a—HMI module part of 103
114
b—Brake module part of 103
114
c—Steering module part of 103
115—Windshield camera module part of 103
116—Car data via DSRC radio module
117—Target Object Selection module
118—Truck data from vehicle bus
119—Collision probability estimation, alert or braking determination part of car
120—Truck path prediction module
121—Truck data via DSRC radio & camera data
122—Car data via CAN or Flexray etc.
123—Car path prediction
124—Collision probability estimation, alert or braking determination part of the truck system
A vehicle driver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display images and to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes an image processor or image processing system that is operable to receive image data from one or more cameras and provide an output to a display device for displaying images representative of the captured image data. Optionally, the vision system may provide display, such as a rearview display or a top down or bird's eye or surround view display or the like.
The present invention provides an alert or vehicle control system that functions to reduce or avoid collisions between a truck and a vehicle or car, such as when a truck is making a right hand turn with the other vehicle at the right side of the truck or in the street onto which the truck is turning. Because of the length of the truck, during a turn the inside tire of the truck takes the path as shown in
The present invention is applicable to trucks, such as are used for transporting freight. A truck, as the term is used herein, comprises tractor-trailer trucks or semi-trucks (having a cab and a multi-axle trailer) classified in Class 7, 8 or 9 (U.S. Commercial Truck GVWR classifications). Thus, as an example, a truck (as the term is used herein) may comprise a Class 8 tractor-trailer or “18-wheeler” truck having a gross vehicle weight rating above 33,000 lbs.
Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a truck 100 (
As shown in
In one embodiment (such as shown in
Thus, and such as shown in
Optionally, and such as shown in
Thus, and such as shown in
Therefore, the present invention comprises a vehicle system that utilizes a DSRC communication to transmit or communicate vehicle or truck information or data (indicative of a predicted or projected path of travel of the vehicle or truck) to a system or processor of another vehicle, where the system or processor of the other vehicle may, based on its own projected path of travel, determine if there may be a collision with the vehicle or truck. Thus, if a truck-based system receives a short range communication from a nearby vehicle system and, responsive to processing of vehicle data received from the vehicle system and responsive to truck data indicative of the projected path of the truck, the system may determine if the truck (such as if turning in a direction towards the side of the truck at which the vehicle is located) may collide with the vehicle during the turning maneuver. If such a potential collision is determined likely to occur, the system may alert the driver of the truck and/or may maneuver or control the truck (such as by controlling the steering of the truck and/or the brake system of the truck) to avoid collision with the vehicle.
Optionally, if a vehicle-based system receives a short range communication from a nearby truck system and, responsive to processing of truck data received from the truck system and responsive to vehicle data indicative of the projected path of the vehicle, the system may determine if the truck (such as if the truck is turning in a direction towards the side of the truck at which the vehicle is located) may collide with the vehicle during the turning maneuver. If such a potential collision is determined likely to occur, the system may alert the driver of the vehicle and/or may maneuver or control the vehicle (such as by controlling the steering of the vehicle and/or the brake system of the vehicle) to avoid collision with the turning truck.
Optionally, the communication between the car and truck may comprise other communication means or protocols, such as via car2car or vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (car2X or V2X or V2I or 4G or 5G a broadband cellular network) technology or the like. Optionally, the system may also communicate with other systems, such as via a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system or a vehicle-to-infrastructure communication system or the like. Such car2car or vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (car2X or V2X or V2I or 4G or 5G a broadband cellular network) technology provides for communication between vehicles and/or infrastructure based on information provided by one or more vehicles and/or information provided by a remote server or the like. Such vehicle communication systems may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,690,268; 6,693,517 and/or 7,580,795, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2017-0254873; US-2017-0158133; US-2014-0375476; US-2014-0218529; US-2013-0222592; US-2012-0218412; US-2012-0062743; US-2015-0251599; US-2015-0158499; US-2015-0124096; US-2015-0352953; US-2016-0036917 and/or US-2016-0210853, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The system may utilize sensors, such as radar or lidar sensors or the like. The sensing system may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,027,029; 8,013,780; 6,825,455; 7,053,357; 7,408,627; 7,405,812; 7,379,163; 7,379,100; 7,375,803; 7,352,454; 7,340,077; 7,321,111; 7,310,431; 7,283,213; 7,212,663; 7,203,356; 7,176,438; 7,157,685; 6,919,549; 6,906,793; 6,876,775; 6,710,770; 6,690,354; 6,678,039; 6,674,895 and/or 6,587,186, and/or International Publication No. WO 2011/090484 and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0245066, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an image processing chip selected from the EYEQ family of image processing chips available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.
The camera system or camera module of the present invention may utilize aspects of the systems and/or modules described in International Publication Nos. WO 2013/123161 and/or WO 2013/019795, and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,256,821; 7,480,149; 7,289,037; 7,004,593; 6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,445,287; 6,428,172; 6,420,975; 6,326,613; 6,278,377; 6,243,003; 6,250,148; 6,172,613 and/or 6,087,953, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2015-0327398; US-2014-0226012 and/or US-2009-0295181, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the vision system may include a plurality of exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera, a forwardly facing camera at the front of the vehicle, and sideward/rearward facing cameras at respective sides of the vehicle, which capture image data representative of the scene exterior of the vehicle.
For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/or circuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,233,641; 9,146,898; 9,174,574; 9,090,234; 9,077,098; 8,818,042; 8,886,401; 9,077,962; 9,068,390; 9,140,789; 9,092,986; 9,205,776; 8,917,169; 8,694,224; 7,005,974; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519; 7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928; 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2014-0340510; US-2014-0313339; US-2014-0347486; US-2014-0320658; US-2014-0336876; US-2014-0307095; US-2014-0327774; US-2014-0327772; US-2014-0320636; US-2014-0293057; US-2014-0309884; US-2014-0226012; US-2014-0293042; US-2014-0218535; US-2014-0218535; US-2014-0247354; US-2014-0247355; US-2014-0247352; US-2014-0232869; US-2014-0211009; US-2014-0160276; US-2014-0168437; US-2014-0168415; US-2014-0160291; US-2014-0152825; US-2014-0139676; US-2014-0138140; US-2014-0104426; US-2014-0098229; US-2014-0085472; US-2014-0067206; US-2014-0049646; US-2014-0052340; US-2014-0025240; US-2014-0028852; US-2014-005907; US-2013-0314503; US-2013-0298866; US-2013-0222593; US-2013-0300869; US-2013-0278769; US-2013-0258077; US-2013-0258077; US-2013-0242099; US-2013-0215271; US-2013-0141578 and/or US-2013-0002873, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system may communicate with other communication systems via any suitable means, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985, and/or U.S. Pat. No. 9,126,525, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displaying images captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by the driver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating the vehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a video display device, such as by utilizing aspects of the video display systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,338,177; 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187; 6,690,268; 7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2012-0162427; US-2006-0050018 and/or US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and a rearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle with exterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of a top-down view or bird's-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround view at the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO 2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249 and/or WO 2013/109869, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/832,801, filed Dec. 6, 2017, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,347,129, which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/431,083, filed Dec. 7, 2016, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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