2928results about "Vehicle fittings" patented technology

This application describes completely in many unique ways and detail all the devices to reduce a vehicle's speed and / or reduce a machines RPM's and / or stop any piece of equipment's as well as guide it if mobile through automated controls. First to slow it down, and guide it and / or control it if necessary (i.e., other pieces of equipment). Secondly it discusses how to stop any piece of equipment completely. And thirdly, the invention secures it in a safe stationary position either entirely or any number of specific moving parts. Many of these systems are initially here described to slow, reduce speed, steer, stop and / or secure equipment functions. However, they also can be used to increase a piece of equipment's functions. In other words their variations are completely capable to serve any remote or automated controls on a vehicle in the future to provide full robotics systems, e.g., for automated transportation systems, automated manufacturing, etc., either through individually isolated remote control systems and / or interfaced with other off-board systems through communication links, gateway computers, computer networks and the world wide web for inexpensive long distance monitoring and remote control. The invention focuses on the automobile industry but as has always been maintained throughout all these applications these devices and systems are designed to control every piece of equipment. The invention includes various accountable protocols and commercial developments to control speed, brake and steering for an automobile shut down to be performed through automation to a safe controlled secured deactivated state to be considered as a basis for a standard in aggressive vehicle remote control and / or to control and guide a vehicle and / or piece of equipment through many different automated systems.

A method of detecting a lane change of a subject vehicle (20), having a locating device (10) which uses angular resolution for locating vehicles (VEH1, VEH2, VEH3) traveling in front, and a device (44) for determining the yaw rate (ω0) of the subject vehicle. The angular velocity (ωi) of at least one vehicle traveling in front relative to the subject vehicle (20) is measured using the locating device (10), and a lane change signal (LC) indicating the lane change is formed by comparing the measured angular velocity (ωi) to the yaw rate (ω0) of the subject vehicle.

A method for collision avoidance using automated braking and steering comprising: determining an actual distance to an obstacle in a path of a vehicle; determining a relative velocity between the obstacle and the vehicle; determining a first distance sufficient to avoid collision by braking only; determining a second distance sufficient to avoid collision by combined braking and steering around the obstacle. The method also includes: applying braking if at least one of, the first distance exceeds the actual distance and the first distance is within a selected threshold of the actual distance. If the actual distance exceeds the second distance and a lane change is permitted, steering control to affect a lane change is applied.

Method and arrangement for controlling a subsystem of a vehicle dependent upon a sensed level of driver inattentiveness to vehicle driving tasks. A variable characteristic is measured, on a substantially real-time basis, which correlates to the driver's inattentiveness. The level of inattentiveness is assessed based at least in part on the measurement. The performance of a subsystem of the vehicle, such as cruise control or lane keeping support, is tailored, based thereupon, to assure that behavior of the vehicle appropriately matches the driver's present level of inattentiveness. The subsystem's operation is controlled in an effort to avoid or prevent the establishment of driving conditions that become inherently more dangerous as the driver's level of inattentiveness increases.

System and method for identifying speeding violations, comprising determining a current speed and a current location of a vehicle, determining a posted speed limit for the current location from a speed-by-street database, comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the posted speed limit, and evaluating whether the current speed exceeds the posted speed limit. Errors are identified in the speed-by-street database by storing a plurality of speeding violation records, wherein the speeding violation records each include a speeding event location; analyzing the speeding violation records to identify one or more speeding event locations having multiple speeding violations; comparing a posted speed limit at the one or more speeding event locations having multiple speeding violations to corresponding speed limit data in the speed-by-street database; and identifying one or more speed limit entries in the speed-by-street database that do not match the posted speed limit.

A method for monitoring vehicle speed is provided. The method includes receiving a current speed of a vehicle and a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle. A current speed range is calculated by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit. Operator alert preferences including a caution range and a warning range are accessed. An alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences is communicated to the operator of the vehicle. The alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range. The alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range. The alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

The information available to a driver of a vehicle is greatly expanded using wireless communications (e.g., using Bluetooth wireless communication devices). In one embodiment, information regarding an adjacent vehicle such as a brake light, a turn light, speed, distance, direction, etc., is transmitted from one vehicle to a nearby or adjacent other vehicle. The received information is used in any appropriate manner, such as causing the receiving vehicle to change vehicle speed or brake, to turn to avoid a collision, etc. In a second embodiment, roadside wireless transceivers collect information regarding passing vehicles, and central database is compiled relating to a traffic conditions. The traffic condition information can be passed back to the passing vehicles for appropriate use, e.g., causing the driver to slow down, or even causing a navigation device in the receiving vehicle to manually prompt for or automatically recalculate a best route to an intended destination. In yet another embodiment, broadcast transmitters can be established at signs and other significant locations transmitting information to passing vehicles. The broadcast information may be as simple as indicating the existence of the sign, or depending upon the range of the particular wireless transmitter, the existence of a particular sign, bump in road, curve, etc., can be forewarned far in advance of when the driver will actually see the relevant object. Alternatively, the broadcast information may be quite detailed, e.g., containing a detailed itemization and directions to a large number of gas stations, restaurants, etc., reachable from a particular exit from a highway.

A moving subject recognizing system for recognizing a subject, such as a pedestrian, moving toward a forward path of a vehicle to avoid a collision against the subject scans a field ahead the vehicle to detect a transverse velocity of a subject moving in a transverse direction and a longitudinal distance of the subject in a direction of the traveling path which are compared with a first and a second threshold value, respectively, and recognize that the subject is in danger of entering the traveling path and hit by the vehicle when the transverse velocity is greater than the first threshold value and the variation of the longitudinal distance is smaller than the second threshold value.

A surgical robotic system is disclosed that provides a combination of a programmed control, such as active control or passive control, when a high degree of accuracy is required and manual control when a high degree of accuracy is not required, such as during the removal of osteophytes, irregular bone growth and / or soft tissue. Manual resection may be completed by switching from the programmed control mode to the manual control mode and allowing the surgeon free control of the cutting tool. The manual resection may be carried out using some navigational features of the robotic system such as allowing the surgeon to visualize the position of the cutting tool thereby allowing accurate resection of osteophytes, irregular bone and tissue while having the unrestricted freedom to move the cutting tool. The programmed control mode may be reserved for procedures that require a high degree of accuracy, for example, the reaming of a bone and placement of an implant onto the bone.

A vehicle warning system is responsive to vehicle speed and position as determined by GPS or other location based system information to alert a vehicle operator of potentially unsafe conditions when either exceeding the speed limit on a given road segment or when approaching coordinates of a designated location alert point. The system comprises a portable device, a simple device personalization process using a single physical data communications interface to a local computing device connected to the Internet, and a remote server with a segmented database that provides access to common data services, positional data updates, and device personalization functionality.

A vehicle control system which can ensure high reliability, real-time processing, and expandability with a simplified ECU configuration and a low cost by backing up an error through coordination in the entire system without increasing a degree of redundancy of individual controllers beyond the least necessary level. The vehicle control system comprises a sensor controller for taking in sensor signals indicating a status variable of a vehicle and an operation amount applied from a driver, a command controller for generating a control target value based on the sensor signals taken in by the sensor controller, and an actuator controller for receiving the control target value from the command controller and operating an actuator to control the vehicle, those three controller being interconnected via a network. The actuator controller includes a control target value generating unit for generating a control target value based on the sensor signals taken in by the sensor controller and received by the actuator controller via the network when the control target value generated by the command controller is abnormal, and controls the actuator in accordance with the control target value generated by the control target value generating unit.

A method for computationally predicting future movement behaviors of at least one target object can have the steps ofproducing sensor data by at least one sensor physically sensing the environment of a host vehicle, andcomputing a plurality of movement behavior alternatives of a target object sensed by the sensor(s).The context based prediction step uses a set of classifiers, each classifier estimating a probability that said sensed target object will execute a movement behavior at a time. The method can also include validating the movement behavior alternatives by a physical prediction comparing measured points with trajectories of situation models and determining at least one trajectory indicating at least one possible behavior of the traffic participant, estimating at least one future position of the traffic participant based on the at least one trajectory, andoutputting a signal representing the estimate future position.

Method for transmitting a warning signal to a driver of a driven vehicle regarding an impending collision with a moving and / or stationary object in the vicinity of the driven vehicle. The method comprises the following steps of providing the driven vehicle with means for obtaining updated data regarding, position, velocity vector and predicted moving path of the objects; selecting a series of one or more time horizons having decreasing or increasing duration; for the longest of the selected time horizons: generating a linear velocity object (LVO) and / or non-linear velocity object (NLVO) of each of the objects; selecting a sampling time interval Δt, during which an LVO and / or NLVO is generated; determining a range of feasible velocity vector changes for the driven vehicle that are attainable within a performance time interval ΔT; repeatedly providing the driver, after each Δt, with information regarding feasible velocity vector changes for the performance time interval; sensing, estimating or assuming dynamic changes parameters representing the movement of the driven vehicle within the performance time interval, and whenever required, generating a warning signal with an escalating severity level that reflects the relative imminence of collision with the objects and that corresponds to the longest time horizon; repeating the steps above, while each time generating an updated LVO and / or NLVO for a subsequent sampling time interval, until reaching another selected time horizon which is shorter than a previously selected time horizon and another selected time horizon, until collision is unavoidable.

The present invention involves methods and systems for issuing a collision warning to a driver at timing based on the driver's attitude level. The methods involve the steps of determining the driver attitude level based on the driver's actions in a plurality of driving conditions, determining timing for issuing warning based on the driver attitude level, and issuing warning based on the determined timing. The systems include a first device for collecting data associated with driver attitude, and a second device connected to the first device for determining a driver attitude level. The second device includes a processor for processing the data by applying pre-determined algorithm to determine the driver attitude level. The systems may further include a third device connected to the second device for determining timing for issuing warning corresponding to the driver attitude level, and issuing a warning according to the determined timing. Alternatively or additionally, the third device may include a software for enabling a determination of the rate of change in terms of acceleration and deceleration, and a control for affecting the rate of change. Further, the third device may include a software for enabling a determination of a safety distance and a distance control.

A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus inputs signals indicative of images from a stereoscopic camera, a vehicle speed, a steering wheel angle and a yaw rate and estimates a traveling path of an own vehicle according to vehicle forward information and traveling conditions of the own vehicle. The apparatus establishes a traveling region A according to this traveling path and further establishes a traveling region B based on at least either of the traveling region A and road information. It is judged whether a detected solid object is a preceding vehicle or a tentative preceding vehicle according to the state of existence of the object in the traveling regions A, B and the preceding vehicle is outputted to a traveling control unit.

A model predictive control apparatus includes an initial solution generation section, an abnormality handling section, and an objective function adjustment section. The abnormality handling section performs initial solution generation when it is determined that performed optimization is abnormal. The initial solution generation section generates an initial optimal value of a future time series control input in accordance with an initial objective function, without reference to a candidate value of the time series control input. The objective function adjustment section adjusts the current objective function so that the current objective function varies stepwise with time toward the normal objective function when it is determined that the current objective function is different from the normal objective function.

A method for collision avoidance using automated braking and steering comprising: determining an actual distance to an obstacle in a path of a vehicle; determining a relative velocity between the obstacle and the vehicle; determining a first distance sufficient to avoid collision by braking only; determining a second distance sufficient to avoid collision by combined braking and steering around the obstacle. The method also includes: applying braking if at least one of, the first distance exceeds the actual distance and the first distance is within a selected threshold of the actual distance. If the actual distance exceeds the second distance and a lane change is permitted, steering control to affect a lane change is applied.

A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus inputs images taken by a stereoscopic camera, vehicle speeds, steering wheel rotation angles, yaw rates and ON-OFF signals of a turn signal switch. An own travailing path C is calculated from an own traveling path A obtained from lane markers and side walls and an own traveling path B obtained from yaw rates of the own vehicle. Further, a new own traveling path E is calculated from the own traveling path C and a trace of a preceding vehicle, in which case where there is no possibility of a lane change of the preceding vehicle and the turn signal switch is turned off and the absolute value of the steering wheel rotation angle is smaller than a specified value and a present own traveling path is calculated from the own travailing path E and a previous own traveling path. In other cases, the present own traveling path is calculating from the travailing path C and the previous own traveling path.

A vehicle surroundings monitoring apparatus comprises image solid object detecting means for detecting image solid objects based on image information outputted from a CCD camera, millimeter wave solid object detecting means for detecting millimeter wave solid objects based on signals outputted from a millimeter wave radar, fusion solid object establishing means for establishing fusion solid objects composed of single image solid objects, single millimeter wave solid objects and a combination of the image solid objects and the millimeter wave solid objects by fusing the image solid objects and the millimeter wave solid objects, first reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of the fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of the respective fusion solid objects by the image solid object detecting means, second reliability judging means for judging a degree of reliability of the fusion solid objects based on a detecting situation of the respective fusion solid objects by the millimeter wave solid object detecting means and preceding vehicle selecting means for selecting a preceding vehicle from the fusion solid objects when it is judged that the fusion solid objects have a specified level of reliability according to either of the first reliability judging means and the second reliability judging means.

A method controls the speed of a motor vehicle in accordance with risk. Each risk element of a road segment is evaluated for the specific risk potential thereof by taking into consideration the perils and the actual speed of the driver of the motor vehicle. An integral risk potential is calculated for the road segment on the basis of the sum of the specific risk potentials of all detected risk elements. A system is provided to carry out the method of the invention.

A predictive cruise control system utilizes information about the current vehicle position, and upcoming terrain to save fuel and increase driving comfort. A vehicle operating cost function is defined, based on a plurality of environmental parameters, vehicle parameters, vehicle operating parameters and route parameters. As the vehicle travels over a particular route for which route parameters, such as road gradient and curvature, are stored in a road map, sensors aboard the vehicle detect environmental and vehicle operating parameters, including at least vehicle speed and its position relative to the road map. As the vehicle proceeds, an onboard computer iteratively calculates and stores in a memory vehicle control parameters that optimize the vehicle operating cost function for a predetermined prediction horizon along the route ahead of the vehicle. The optimal vehicle control parameters for the Prediction Horizon are then stored, updated and used to control the vehicle.

A traffic light detection system for a vehicle is provided. The system may include at least one processing device programmed to receive, from at least one image capture device, a plurality of images representative of an area forward of the vehicle, the area including a traffic light fixture having at least one traffic light. The at least one processing device may also be programmed to analyze at least one of the plurality of images to determine a status of the at least one traffic light, and determine an estimated amount of time until the vehicle will reach an intersection associated with the traffic light fixture. The at least one processing device may further be programmed to cause a system response based on the status of at least one traffic light and the estimated amount of time until the vehicle will reach the intersection.

A control system is employed in a vehicle to assist a user to operate the vehicle effectively and safely. The system provides driving assistance to the user by taking into account the user's physical condition, the vehicle condition and the surrounding conditions. The surrounding conditions include, e.g., road, weather and traffic conditions, external to the vehicle. The vehicle condition concerns the conditions of the brakes, steering, tires, radiator, etc. of the vehicle. Signs of fatigue, stress and illness of the user are monitored by the control system to assess the user's physical condition.

Energy consumption of a vehicle is optimized while traveling a route assembled of road segments between a first position and a destination. A speed profile generator is located at least partially off of the vehicle and uses an energy consumption model of the vehicle together with road grade data corresponding to the route to calculate an optimal speed profile. The speed profile specifies target speeds for respective locations on the route for traversing the route with an optimized energy consumption. The speed profile generator compares energy consumption for a plurality of feasible speed profile trajectories between a maximum trajectory and a minimum trajectory in order to identify the optimal speed profile. A speed updater is responsive to a current position of the vehicle and the optimal speed profile to initiate the target speed for the current position.