EP1791101B1 - Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP1791101B1 EP1791101B1 EP05425841A EP05425841A EP1791101B1 EP 1791101 B1 EP1791101 B1 EP 1791101B1 EP 05425841 A EP05425841 A EP 05425841A EP 05425841 A EP05425841 A EP 05425841A EP 1791101 B1 EP1791101 B1 EP 1791101B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- vehicle
- vulnerable road
- road user
- condition
- user
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Active
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 20
- 238000012545 processing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 33
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000005540 biological transmission Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 description 8
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 8
- 238000012795 verification Methods 0.000 description 8
- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 7
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 description 6
- 239000013598 vector Substances 0.000 description 5
- 208000027418 Wounds and injury Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002596 correlated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007613 environmental effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 208000014674 injury Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008447 perception Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008054 signal transmission Effects 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/16—Anti-collision systems
- G08G1/161—Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
- G08G1/163—Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication involving continuous checking
Definitions
- the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users (VRU) and for warning the driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, of said condition of danger.
- VRU vulnerable road users
- DE-10253192A1 discloses a collision warning system which contains a position-determining unit such as for example a GPS receiver and transmits the current position in space continuously via a transmitter.
- the collision warning system is able to receive, by means of a receiver, the position information that is transmitted in a similar way by other collision warning systems and on the basis of the position information, the risk of a collision is calculated in advance in a control unit.
- the aim of the present invention is hence to provide an apparatus that will enable detection and advanced warning to the driver of the vehicle of a condition of danger due to the presence of vulnerable road users.
- the above aim is achieved by the present invention in so far as it regards a method designed to detect, and warn the driver of a vehicle of, a condition of danger originating from the presence of vulnerable road users, according to what is specified in Claim 1 and, preferably, in any one of the subsequent claims that depend directly or indirectly upon Claim 1.
- an apparatus designed to detect ,and warn the driver of a vehicle of, a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users, according to what is specified in Claim 7 and, preferably, in any one of the subsequent claims that depend directly or indirectly upon Claim 7.
- number 1 designates as a whole an apparatus having the function of detecting, and warning the driver of a vehicle 2 of, a condition of danger associated to a collision or impact that may occur between the vehicle 2 and one or more vulnerable road users 3 (only one of which, for reasons of simplicity of description, is shown in Figure 1 ) so as to achieve a greater road safety for the users 3. It remains, however, clear that said apparatus 1 is able to operate in the presence of any number of vulnerable road users 3.
- the apparatus 1 is able to implement the following operations: detecting the presence of one or more vulnerable road users 3 in an area within which displacement of the vehicle 2 occurs; calculating a set of kinematic parameters correlated to the position and to the displacement of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user 3 within the area; verifying, on the basis of a set of comparisons between the displacements of said vehicle 2 and the displacements performed by the said vulnerable road user (3) , whether there exists or not a condition of potential impact between the two; and, in the case where said condition of impact is ascertained, warning the driver of said vehicle 2 of a condition of danger so as to warn him, in sufficient advance, of the possible impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user 3.
- the apparatus 1 basically comprises: an identification device 4, which is designed to be carried or worn by a vulnerable road user 3, corresponding, for example, to a pedestrian, and/or to a cyclist, and/or to a motorcyclist, etc.; and a warning apparatus 5, which is installed on board said vehicle 2, and has the function of identifying the position and the displacement of the identification device 4 worn by said vulnerable road user (3) , and of comparing said information with the position and the displacement of said vehicle 2, in such a way as to be able to foresee, on the basis of said comparison, a possible condition of impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3).
- the identification device 4 that can be worn by said vulnerable road user (3) may be, for example, a transponder (TAG), preferably, but not necessarily, of a passive type, which is activated following upon reception of an inquiry signal, and has the function of transmitting to the warning apparatus 5 a response signal to enable identification of the position of said vulnerable road user (3) as well as identification of the kind of said vulnerable road user (3).
- TAG transponder
- the identification device 4 can be provided with a storage module 6 containing an identification code associated preferably, but not necessarily, to the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist), and a transceiver module 7, which is able to receive and/or transmit radiofrequency signals to and from the warning apparatus 5.
- a storage module 6 containing an identification code associated preferably, but not necessarily, to the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist), and a transceiver module 7, which is able to receive and/or transmit radiofrequency signals to and from the warning apparatus 5.
- the warning apparatus 5 comprises a transceiver device 8, constituted, for example, by a known electronic circuit that is able to transmit and receive radiofrequency signals, which is designed to transmit the inquiry signal to the identification device 4 and to receive from the latter the response signal identifying said vulnerable road user (3).
- the warning apparatus 5 further comprises, preferably but not necessarily, a satellite positioning device 9, for example a GPS (Global Positioning System) module capable of determining the instantaneous position of the vehicle 2 (in terms of longitude and latitude) with respect to a pre-set reference system, and an electronic control unit 10, which implements a set of operations (described in detail hereinafter) for verification and comparison of the displacements between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3), on the basis of which the possible condition of danger is identified.
- a satellite positioning device 9 for example a GPS (Global Positioning System) module capable of determining the instantaneous position of the vehicle 2 (in terms of longitude and latitude) with respect to a pre-set reference system
- an electronic control unit 10 which implements a set of operations (described in detail hereinafter) for verification and comparison of the displacements between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3), on the basis of which the possible condition of danger is identified.
- the electronic control unit 10 can be constituted by an electronic control unit capable of co-operating with a HMI (Human-Machine Interface) device 11 present on board said vehicle 2 so as to warn, through the latter, the driver of said vehicle 2 of the condition of danger.
- HMI Human-Machine Interface
- the electronic control unit 10 comprises: a control module 12, which co-operates with the transceiver device 8 for managing the transmission/reception of the radiofrequency signals from and to the identification device 4; a calculation module 13, which processes the response signal received by the control module 12 to determine (with the modalities described in detail hereinafter) a set of kinematic parameters associated to said vulnerable road user (3), such as position, speed, and acceleration.
- the electronic control unit 10 further comprises: a detection module 14, which detects a set of kinematic parameters of the vehicle 2, such as, for example, the position, speed and acceleration; and a storage module 15, which contains a geographical map of the area involved in the displacement of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3).
- the geographical map can contain a digital geographical representation (i.e., in an electronic format), in which are indicated the real elements and/or objects present in the geographical area represented.
- the real elements and/or objects can comprise for instance roads, car parks, service areas, buildings, bridges, squares, green areas, cycle tracks, pavements, etc.
- said elements and/or objects are described within the digital geographical map on the basis of their geometrical characteristics, such as for example their position with respect to a pre-set reference system, the perimeter or the area occupied, and on the basis of other properties of an operative type, such as for example the state of accessibility of the object.
- the electronic control unit 10 further comprises: a processing module 16, which is capable of determining the positions and the displacements of said vulnerable road user (3) and of said vehicle 2 within the geographical map contained in the storage module 15 in order to verify, as a function of the outcome of said processing, whether there exists or not a condition of danger; and a warning module 17, which sends to the HMI device 11 the signal warning of danger to be supplied to the driver of said vehicle 2.
- a processing module 16 which is capable of determining the positions and the displacements of said vulnerable road user (3) and of said vehicle 2 within the geographical map contained in the storage module 15 in order to verify, as a function of the outcome of said processing, whether there exists or not a condition of danger
- a warning module 17 which sends to the HMI device 11 the signal warning of danger to be supplied to the driver of said vehicle 2.
- the identification device 4 can be provided with a warning module 4a for warning said vulnerable road user (3) of a condition of danger detected by the warning apparatus 5.
- the warning module 17 in addition to activating the warning of danger to the driver of the vehicle through the HMI device 11, operates a command for transmission of a signal that encodes said condition of danger.
- Said signal is designed to be received by the transceiver module 7 and is converted into an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational message by the warning module 4a comprised in the identification device 4.
- the warning module 4a comprised in the identification device 4 could comprise an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational message device designed to warn the user of the possible condition of impact with said vehicle 2.
- the electronic control unit 10 controls transmission of the inquiry signal (block 100) via the transceiver device 8, and remains in a temporary condition of waiting (block 110) for detection of a response signal by at least one identification device 4 worn by present within an area that surrounds the path of said vehicle 2.
- control module 12 In this step, if the control module 12 does not receive at input any response signal transmitted by the identification device 4 (output NO from block 110), then it transmits, after a pre-set time interval (block 120), a new inquiry signal.
- the control block 12 receives a response signal transmitted by the identification device 4 (output YES from block 110), then the calculation module 13 identifies the presence of said vulnerable road user 3 and accordingly processes the radiofrequency response signal to determine a set of kinematic quantities such as for example the position, speed, and possibly acceleration of said vulnerable road user (3), and preferably, but not necessarily, the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (block 130).
- a set of kinematic quantities such as for example the position, speed, and possibly acceleration of said vulnerable road user (3), and preferably, but not necessarily, the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (block 130).
- the detection module 14 measures a set of vehicle parameters to supply a set of information regarding the position, speed and acceleration of said vehicle 2 to the processing module 16, which verifies whether there exists a correspondence between the positions of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) and the objects indicated in the digital map. If the processing module 16 identifies said correspondence, it then represents said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) on the digital geographical map stored in the storage module 15 (block 140) according to the respective positions calculated.
- the processing module 16 identifies on the digital geographical map the objects or elements which said vulnerable road user (3) and said vehicle 2 occupy.
- said vulnerable road user (3) could occupy an object corresponding to a road, or an object corresponding to a cycle track, or an object corresponding to a car park, etc.
- said vehicle 2 could occupy an object corresponding to a road, or else an object corresponding to a bridge, or an object corresponding to a car park, etc.
- the processing module 16 verifies the presence/absence of a possible situation of impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3), and hence a condition of danger.
- the processing module 16 makes a forecast of the paths that will be followed by said vehicle 2 and by said vulnerable road user (3) and, on the basis of the points of intersection of the paths and as a function of the speed of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3), determines the presence/absence of a condition of danger deriving from an impact between said vulnerable road user (3) and said vehicle.
- the processing module 16 identifies a condition of absence of danger (output NO from block 160), whilst otherwise, i.e., in the case where a condition of danger due to impact is forecast, the warning module 17 warns the driver of said vehicle 2, through the HMI device 11, of the condition of danger (block 170).
- the warning module 17 transmits the danger signal to the identification device 4, which issues to said vulnerable road user (3) an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational warning of the presence of the danger of impact (block 180).
- the processing module 16 verifies whether there exists an effective correspondence between the positions assumed by said vehicle 2 and by said vulnerable road user (3) and the objects and/or elements represented within the digital geographical map (block 200). In the case where said correspondence has a negative outcome, i.e., if, on account of their positions, said vehicle 2 and/or said vulnerable road user (3) do not find a correspondence, i.e., they cannot be represented within the geographical map (output NO from block 200), then the processing module 16 processes the kinematic parameters of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) in order to predict the path that will be followed by said vulnerable road user (3) and by the vehicle 2 starting from their respective positions previously determined (block 210).
- the processing module 16 moreover determines a set of safety parameters, such as the point of intersection P T between the path of said vehicle 2 and the path of said vulnerable road user (3), a safety distance r S (described hereinafter) that must be maintained between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) to guarantee safety of the latter, and a stopping distance d S for arrest of said vehicle 2.
- a set of safety parameters such as the point of intersection P T between the path of said vehicle 2 and the path of said vulnerable road user (3), a safety distance r S (described hereinafter) that must be maintained between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) to guarantee safety of the latter, and a stopping distance d S for arrest of said vehicle 2.
- the stopping distance d S of said vehicle 2 represents the total distance along which said vehicle 2 is travelling between the initial instant, in which said driver has the perception of the presence of said vulnerable road user (3) on the road along which said vehicle 2 is travelling, and the final instant, in which said vehicle 2 stops following upon a stop command imparted by the driver of said vehicle 2 itself.
- the stopping distance d S can be determined through a table contained in the storage module 15 and as a function of a set of parameters such as the speed of said vehicle 2, the model of said vehicle 2 (determined via a customization of the system), the driving skill of the driver (determined via a set of information associated to the driving "historic file” of the driver), the type of road along which the vehicle is travelling, and the external environmental conditions (which can be determined via a sensor for detection of the state of the road).
- the stopping distances d S included in the table can be determined by measuring the stopping distances d S as the parameters indicated above vary and by implementing on the data thus obtained a statistical calculation procedure.
- this corresponds to the minimum distance required between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) along a stretch of road, below which a condition of danger for said vulnerable road user (3) arises.
- the processing module 16 determines the safety distance r S on the basis of the stopping distance d S .
- the coefficient c V can also be stored in a table that represents a biunique function between the coefficients c V and the type of said vulnerable road user (3).
- Said table can be contained in the storage module 15 in such a way as to be accessible by the processing module 16 during calculation of the safety distance r S .
- the processing module 16 verifies whether the distance measured between said vehicle 2 and the point of intersection P T of the paths is smaller than the safety distance r S and at the same time whether the speed of said vehicle 2 and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection P T itself (block 220).
- output NO from block 220 If the verification has a negative outcome (output NO from block 220), i.e., if the distance measured between said vehicle 2 and the point of intersection P T is greater than the safety distance r S , and the speed of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) along the respective paths are such as not to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection P T itself, then a condition of absence of danger is determined.
- the processing module 16 verifies whether the object or element in which said vulnerable road user (3) is located is or is not contiguous, i.e., adjacent, to the road along which said vehicle 2 is travelling (block 240).
- the geographical element of the map corresponding, for example, to a cycle track is contiguous to the road if the following two conditions arise: if the intersection between the object, i.e., the cycle track, and a corridor of width D that develops along the road is not empty, and if there does not exist any physical separation that will prevent the user travelling along the cycle track from entering the road along which said vehicle 2 is travelling.
- the processing module 16 determines the safety distance r S in the modalities described above, and the point P S of intersection between the road along which said vehicle 2 is travelling and the path of said vulnerable road user (3) (block 250).
- the processing module 16 verifies whether the distance between said vehicle 2 and the point of intersection P S is smaller than the safety distance r S .
- the processing module 16 performs a forecast of the path followed by said vehicle 2 and of the path followed by said vulnerable road user (3), calculates the point of intersection P T between the paths and determines the safety distance r S implementing the operations described above (block 270).
- the processing element 16 implements the same operations as those of block 220, i.e., it verifies whether the distance measured between said vehicle 2 and the point of intersection P T of the paths is smaller than the safety distance r S and, at the same time, checks whether the speed of said vehicle 2 and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection P T itself (block 280).
- the processing module 16 verifies whether the position of said vulnerable road user (3) is comprised within the corridor of pre-set width D and whether said vulnerable road user (3) is at a distance from said vehicle 2 smaller than the safety distance r S (block 290).
- the processing module 16 detects a condition of absence of danger.
- the apparatus 1 is capable of measuring a set of quantities provided hereinafter.
- the apparatus 1 is able to determine the vectors C - A and D - B , which represent both the distances C-A and D-B of said vulnerable road user (3) with respect to said vehicle 2 in two successive instants t 1 and t 2 and the directions along which the distances C-A and D-B are determined with respect to the direction of displacement of said vehicle 2, where C and D are the positions of said vulnerable road user (3) in the two instants t 1 and t 2 , A is the position of said vehicle 2 at the instant t 1 and B is the position of said vehicle 2 at the instant t 2 .
- the processing module 16 of the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C - A and D - B , processing in a known way (and consequently not described in detail) the time of flight associated to the radiofrequency signals exchanged between the warning apparatus 5 and the identification device 4.
- the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C - A and C - B that indicate both the distances C-A and C-B of said vulnerable road user (3) with respect to said vehicle 2 in two successive instants t 1 and t 2 and the directions along which the distances C-A and C-B are determined with respect to the direction of displacement of said vehicle 2, where C is the position of said vulnerable road user (3), A is the position of said vehicle 2 at the instant t 1 , and B is the position of said vehicle 2 at the instant t 2 . Also here the processing module 16 of the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C - A and C - B , processing in a known way (and consequently not described in detail) the time of flight associated to the radiofrequency signals exchanged between the warning apparatus 5 and the identification device 4.
- the apparatus 1 is provided with a satellite positioning device 9, it is then able to determine also the vector B - A indicating the distance between the positions A and B assumed by said vehicle 2 in the two consecutive instants t 1 and t 2 , its direction of displacement with respect to a pre-set reference system, and the speed V a and V b of said vehicle 2 in the two instants t 1 and t 2
- the apparatus 1 co-operates with a set of directional antennas (not illustrated), such as for example a plurality of smart antennas arranged on said vehicle 2 according to a pre-set known geometrical configuration (for example, according to a circular geometrical configuration), it is capable of detecting also the angles ⁇ 1 and ⁇ 2 that form the direction of advance of said vehicle 2 with respect to a straight line that joins the latter with said vulnerable road user (3) in the successive instants t 1 and t 2 . Also this type of calculation is known and consequently will not be further described.
- the processing module 16 of the apparatus is capable of identifying the instantaneous positions of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) and the relative directions and speeds of displacement. It is evident that, following upon determination of the instantaneous speeds, the processing module 16 is able to determine also the acceleration of said vehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3).
- the apparatus 1 gives the driver of said vehicle 2 timely warning of the presence of a danger when a condition of potential impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user 3 is predicted. Said warning in fact enables the driver to prepare himself with sufficient advance in a condition of particularly careful driving, which considerably reduces the risk of impact between said vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) identified, and advantageously excludes all the conditions of alarm associated to the detection of the presence of said vulnerable road user (3), who, albeit vulnerable, are in a condition of non-impact with respect to said vehicle 2 itself.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users (VRU) and for warning the driver of a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, of said condition of danger.
- As is known, in the road-safety sector there is increasingly felt the need to provide drivers of motor vehicles with an aid that will enable them to be warned in an automatic way when a condition of potential danger arises due to the presence of the so-called vulnerable road users, who are represented by pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists, i.e., all those persons who travel on the road in conditions of vulnerability.
- The said vulnerable road users mentioned above are in fact constantly exposed to a potential condition of danger in so far as, in the case where they are hit by a vehicle, they suffer particularly serious and severe consequences from the point of view of physical injury.
-
DE-10253192A1 discloses a collision warning system which contains a position-determining unit such as for example a GPS receiver and transmits the current position in space continuously via a transmitter. The collision warning system is able to receive, by means of a receiver, the position information that is transmitted in a similar way by other collision warning systems and on the basis of the position information, the risk of a collision is calculated in advance in a control unit. - The aim of the present invention is hence to provide an apparatus that will enable detection and advanced warning to the driver of the vehicle of a condition of danger due to the presence of vulnerable road users.
- The above aim is achieved by the present invention in so far as it regards a method designed to detect, and warn the driver of a vehicle of, a condition of danger originating from the presence of vulnerable road users, according to what is specified in Claim 1 and, preferably, in any one of the subsequent claims that depend directly or indirectly upon Claim 1.
- According to the present invention an apparatus is moreover provided designed to detect ,and warn the driver of a vehicle of, a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users, according to what is specified in
Claim 7 and, preferably, in any one of the subsequent claims that depend directly or indirectly uponClaim 7. - The present invention will now be described with reference to the annexed plate of drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment thereof and in which:
-
Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for warning the driver of the vehicle of a condition of danger originating from the detection of a vulnerable road user, built in accordance with the present invention; -
Figure 2 represents a block diagram of a set of components comprised in the apparatus illustrated inFigure 1 ; -
Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart indicating the operations implemented by the apparatus shown inFigure 1 during its operation; -
Figure 4 shows a flowchart indicating the operations implemented by the apparatus during determination of the presence/absence of a condition of impact between the user and the vehicle; and -
Figures 5 and6 are schematic illustrations of an example of the computation implemented by the apparatus during determination of the kinematic quantities associated to the vulnerable road user. - With reference to
Figure 1 , number 1 designates as a whole an apparatus having the function of detecting, and warning the driver of avehicle 2 of, a condition of danger associated to a collision or impact that may occur between thevehicle 2 and one or more vulnerable road users 3 (only one of which, for reasons of simplicity of description, is shown inFigure 1 ) so as to achieve a greater road safety for theusers 3. It remains, however, clear that said apparatus 1 is able to operate in the presence of any number ofvulnerable road users 3. - As will be described in detail in what follows, the apparatus 1 is able to implement the following operations: detecting the presence of one or more
vulnerable road users 3 in an area within which displacement of thevehicle 2 occurs; calculating a set of kinematic parameters correlated to the position and to the displacement of saidvehicle 2 and of saidvulnerable road user 3 within the area; verifying, on the basis of a set of comparisons between the displacements ofsaid vehicle 2 and the displacements performed by the said vulnerable road user (3) , whether there exists or not a condition of potential impact between the two; and, in the case where said condition of impact is ascertained, warning the driver of saidvehicle 2 of a condition of danger so as to warn him, in sufficient advance, of the possible impact between saidvehicle 2 and saidvulnerable road user 3. - With reference to the example illustrated in
Figure 1 , the apparatus 1 basically comprises: an identification device 4, which is designed to be carried or worn by avulnerable road user 3, corresponding, for example, to a pedestrian, and/or to a cyclist, and/or to a motorcyclist, etc.; and awarning apparatus 5, which is installed on board saidvehicle 2, and has the function of identifying the position and the displacement of the identification device 4 worn by said vulnerable road user (3) , and of comparing said information with the position and the displacement of saidvehicle 2, in such a way as to be able to foresee, on the basis of said comparison, a possible condition of impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3). - The identification device 4 that can be worn by said vulnerable road user (3) may be, for example, a transponder (TAG), preferably, but not necessarily, of a passive type, which is activated following upon reception of an inquiry signal, and has the function of transmitting to the warning apparatus 5 a response signal to enable identification of the position of said vulnerable road user (3) as well as identification of the kind of said vulnerable road user (3).
- In the case in point, the identification device 4 can be provided with a
storage module 6 containing an identification code associated preferably, but not necessarily, to the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist), and atransceiver module 7, which is able to receive and/or transmit radiofrequency signals to and from thewarning apparatus 5. - With reference to
Figure 1 , thewarning apparatus 5 comprises a transceiver device 8, constituted, for example, by a known electronic circuit that is able to transmit and receive radiofrequency signals, which is designed to transmit the inquiry signal to the identification device 4 and to receive from the latter the response signal identifying said vulnerable road user (3). - The
warning apparatus 5 further comprises, preferably but not necessarily, a satellite positioning device 9, for example a GPS (Global Positioning System) module capable of determining the instantaneous position of the vehicle 2 (in terms of longitude and latitude) with respect to a pre-set reference system, and anelectronic control unit 10, which implements a set of operations (described in detail hereinafter) for verification and comparison of the displacements between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3), on the basis of which the possible condition of danger is identified. - The
electronic control unit 10 can be constituted by an electronic control unit capable of co-operating with a HMI (Human-Machine Interface)device 11 present on board saidvehicle 2 so as to warn, through the latter, the driver of saidvehicle 2 of the condition of danger. - In greater detail, with reference to
Figure 2 , theelectronic control unit 10 comprises: acontrol module 12, which co-operates with the transceiver device 8 for managing the transmission/reception of the radiofrequency signals from and to the identification device 4; acalculation module 13, which processes the response signal received by thecontrol module 12 to determine (with the modalities described in detail hereinafter) a set of kinematic parameters associated to said vulnerable road user (3), such as position, speed, and acceleration. - The
electronic control unit 10 further comprises: adetection module 14, which detects a set of kinematic parameters of thevehicle 2, such as, for example, the position, speed and acceleration; and astorage module 15, which contains a geographical map of the area involved in the displacement of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3). In the case in point, the geographical map can contain a digital geographical representation (i.e., in an electronic format), in which are indicated the real elements and/or objects present in the geographical area represented. - The real elements and/or objects can comprise for instance roads, car parks, service areas, buildings, bridges, squares, green areas, cycle tracks, pavements, etc. In particular, said elements and/or objects are described within the digital geographical map on the basis of their geometrical characteristics, such as for example their position with respect to a pre-set reference system, the perimeter or the area occupied, and on the basis of other properties of an operative type, such as for example the state of accessibility of the object.
- The
electronic control unit 10 further comprises: aprocessing module 16, which is capable of determining the positions and the displacements of said vulnerable road user (3) and of saidvehicle 2 within the geographical map contained in thestorage module 15 in order to verify, as a function of the outcome of said processing, whether there exists or not a condition of danger; and awarning module 17, which sends to theHMI device 11 the signal warning of danger to be supplied to the driver of saidvehicle 2. - The identification device 4 can be provided with a
warning module 4a for warning said vulnerable road user (3) of a condition of danger detected by thewarning apparatus 5. In this case, thewarning module 17, in addition to activating the warning of danger to the driver of the vehicle through theHMI device 11, operates a command for transmission of a signal that encodes said condition of danger. Said signal is designed to be received by thetransceiver module 7 and is converted into an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational message by thewarning module 4a comprised in the identification device 4. Thewarning module 4a comprised in the identification device 4 could comprise an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational message device designed to warn the user of the possible condition of impact with saidvehicle 2. - With reference to
Figure 3 the method implemented by the apparatus 1 for detecting, and warning the driver of saidvehicle 2 of, a condition of danger generated by the presence ofvulnerable road users 3 will now be described. - During displacement of the
vehicle 2 along the path, theelectronic control unit 10 controls transmission of the inquiry signal (block 100) via the transceiver device 8, and remains in a temporary condition of waiting (block 110) for detection of a response signal by at least one identification device 4 worn by present within an area that surrounds the path of saidvehicle 2. - In this step, if the
control module 12 does not receive at input any response signal transmitted by the identification device 4 (output NO from block 110), then it transmits, after a pre-set time interval (block 120), a new inquiry signal. - If, instead, the
control block 12 receives a response signal transmitted by the identification device 4 (output YES from block 110), then thecalculation module 13 identifies the presence of saidvulnerable road user 3 and accordingly processes the radiofrequency response signal to determine a set of kinematic quantities such as for example the position, speed, and possibly acceleration of said vulnerable road user (3), and preferably, but not necessarily, the type of said vulnerable road user (3) (block 130). - At this point, the
detection module 14 measures a set of vehicle parameters to supply a set of information regarding the position, speed and acceleration of saidvehicle 2 to theprocessing module 16, which verifies whether there exists a correspondence between the positions of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) and the objects indicated in the digital map. If theprocessing module 16 identifies said correspondence, it then represents saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) on the digital geographical map stored in the storage module 15 (block 140) according to the respective positions calculated. - In this step, the
processing module 16 identifies on the digital geographical map the objects or elements which said vulnerable road user (3) and saidvehicle 2 occupy. For example, said vulnerable road user (3) could occupy an object corresponding to a road, or an object corresponding to a cycle track, or an object corresponding to a car park, etc., whereassaid vehicle 2 could occupy an object corresponding to a road, or else an object corresponding to a bridge, or an object corresponding to a car park, etc. - At this point, the
processing module 16 verifies the presence/absence of a possible situation of impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3), and hence a condition of danger. - In particular, in this step the
processing module 16 makes a forecast of the paths that will be followed by saidvehicle 2 and by said vulnerable road user (3) and, on the basis of the points of intersection of the paths and as a function of the speed of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3), determines the presence/absence of a condition of danger deriving from an impact between said vulnerable road user (3) and said vehicle. - In the case where no condition of danger of impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3) is identified, the
processing module 16 identifies a condition of absence of danger (output NO from block 160), whilst otherwise, i.e., in the case where a condition of danger due to impact is forecast, thewarning module 17 warns the driver of saidvehicle 2, through theHMI device 11, of the condition of danger (block 170). - At this point, the
warning module 17 transmits the danger signal to the identification device 4, which issues to said vulnerable road user (3) an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational warning of the presence of the danger of impact (block 180). - With reference to
Figure 4 , described hereinafter are the operations implemented by the apparatus 1 during verification of the presence/absence of the condition of danger due to a possible impact of saidvehicle 2 with said vulnerable road user (3) (described above and indicated inFigure 2 by block 150). - In this step, the
processing module 16 verifies whether there exists an effective correspondence between the positions assumed by saidvehicle 2 and by said vulnerable road user (3) and the objects and/or elements represented within the digital geographical map (block 200). In the case where said correspondence has a negative outcome, i.e., if, on account of their positions, saidvehicle 2 and/or said vulnerable road user (3) do not find a correspondence, i.e., they cannot be represented within the geographical map (output NO from block 200), then theprocessing module 16 processes the kinematic parameters of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) in order to predict the path that will be followed by said vulnerable road user (3) and by thevehicle 2 starting from their respective positions previously determined (block 210). - In this step, the
processing module 16 moreover determines a set of safety parameters, such as the point of intersection PT between the path of saidvehicle 2 and the path of said vulnerable road user (3), a safety distance rS (described hereinafter) that must be maintained between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) to guarantee safety of the latter, and a stopping distance dS for arrest of saidvehicle 2. - In particular, the stopping distance dS of said
vehicle 2 represents the total distance along which saidvehicle 2 is travelling between the initial instant, in which said driver has the perception of the presence of said vulnerable road user (3) on the road along which saidvehicle 2 is travelling, and the final instant, in which saidvehicle 2 stops following upon a stop command imparted by the driver of saidvehicle 2 itself. - In particular, the stopping distance dS can be determined through a table contained in the
storage module 15 and as a function of a set of parameters such as the speed of saidvehicle 2, the model of said vehicle 2 (determined via a customization of the system), the driving skill of the driver (determined via a set of information associated to the driving "historic file" of the driver), the type of road along which the vehicle is travelling, and the external environmental conditions (which can be determined via a sensor for detection of the state of the road). The stopping distances dS included in the table can be determined by measuring the stopping distances dS as the parameters indicated above vary and by implementing on the data thus obtained a statistical calculation procedure. - As regards the safety distance rS, this corresponds to the minimum distance required between said
vehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) along a stretch of road, below which a condition of danger for said vulnerable road user (3) arises. - The
processing module 16 determines the safety distance rS on the basis of the stopping distance dS. In particular, the safety distance rS is calculated via the following relation: rS = dS*cV, where cV is a coefficient preferably greater than one, which takes into account the unforeseeableness of the type ofvulnerable road user 3 considered. - The coefficient cV can also be stored in a table that represents a biunique function between the coefficients cV and the type of said vulnerable road user (3). Said table can be contained in the
storage module 15 in such a way as to be accessible by theprocessing module 16 during calculation of the safety distance rS. - Following upon determination of the safety distance rS, the
processing module 16 verifies whether the distance measured between saidvehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT of the paths is smaller than the safety distance rS and at the same time whether the speed of saidvehicle 2 and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection PT itself (block 220). - If the verification has a negative outcome (output NO from block 220), i.e., if the distance measured between said
vehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT is greater than the safety distance rS, and the speed of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) along the respective paths are such as not to be able to cause an impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection PT itself, then a condition of absence of danger is determined. - If, instead, the verification has a positive outcome (output YES from block 220), i.e., if the distance measured between said
vehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT is smaller than the safety distance rS, and at the same time the speed of saidvehicle 2 and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection PT, then a condition of danger (block 230) is determined. - In the case where, following upon verification of the positions between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3) on the geographical map a correspondence between the latter and the elements and/or objects is detected (output YES from block 200), then the
processing module 16 verifies whether the object or element in which said vulnerable road user (3) is located is or is not contiguous, i.e., adjacent, to the road along which saidvehicle 2 is travelling (block 240). - In particular, the geographical element of the map corresponding, for example, to a cycle track is contiguous to the road if the following two conditions arise: if the intersection between the object, i.e., the cycle track, and a corridor of width D that develops along the road is not empty, and if there does not exist any physical separation that will prevent the user travelling along the cycle track from entering the road along which said
vehicle 2 is travelling. - If the object or element of the electronic map, associated to the path of said vulnerable road user (3), is not contiguous to the road along which said
vehicle 2 is travelling (output NO from block 240) then theprocessing module 16 determines the safety distance rS in the modalities described above, and the point PS of intersection between the road along which saidvehicle 2 is travelling and the path of said vulnerable road user (3) (block 250). - In this step, the
processing module 16 verifies whether the distance between saidvehicle 2 and the point of intersection PS is smaller than the safety distance rS. - If said verification has a negative outcome (output NO from block 250), i.e., if the distance between the
vehicle 2 and the point of intersection PS is greater than the safety distance rS, a condition of absence of danger of impact is detected, whilst, instead, if said verification has a positive outcome (output YES from block 250), i.e., if the distance between saidvehicle 2 and the point of intersection PS is smaller than the safety distance rs, a condition of danger of impact is detected (block 260). - If the object or element of the map associated to the path of said vulnerable road user (3) is contiguous to the road followed by said vehicle 2 (output YES from block 240), then the
processing module 16 performs a forecast of the path followed by saidvehicle 2 and of the path followed by said vulnerable road user (3), calculates the point of intersection PT between the paths and determines the safety distance rS implementing the operations described above (block 270). - At this point, the
processing element 16 implements the same operations as those ofblock 220, i.e., it verifies whether the distance measured between saidvehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT of the paths is smaller than the safety distance rS and, at the same time, checks whether the speed of saidvehicle 2 and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) in the point of intersection PT itself (block 280). - In the case of positive outcome (output YES from block 280), i.e., if the distance measured between said
vehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT of the paths is smaller than the safety distance rS and the speed between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact, then the processing module operates a warning of the condition of danger (block 260). - If, instead, the distance measured between said
vehicle 2 and the point of intersection PT of the paths is greater than the safety distance rS and/or the speed between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) are such as not to be able to cause an impact, theprocessing module 16 verifies whether the position of said vulnerable road user (3) is comprised within the corridor of pre-set width D and whether said vulnerable road user (3) is at a distance from saidvehicle 2 smaller than the safety distance rS (block 290). - If said verification has a positive outcome (output YES from block 290), i.e., if the position of said vulnerable road user (3) is within the corridor of pre-set width D and said vulnerable road user (3) is at a distance from said
vehicle 2 smaller than the safety distance rS, then theprocessing module 16 detects a condition of danger (block 260). - Otherwise, i.e., if the position of said vulnerable road user (3) is outside the corridor of pre-set width D, or said vulnerable road user (3) is at a distance from said
vehicle 2 greater than the safety distance rS (output NO from block 290), then theprocessing module 16 detects a condition of absence of danger. - As regards the operations implemented during calculation of the kinematic quantities (block 130 shown in
Figure 2 ), i.e., the position, speed and acceleration of the user, they can be performed on the basis of a set of measurements and processing operations implemented directly by the apparatus 1. - In particular, with reference to
Figures 5 and6 , the apparatus 1 is capable of measuring a set of quantities provided hereinafter. - In the case in point, should said vulnerable road user (3) be moving at a speed Vc other than zero (the example shown in
Figure 5 ), the apparatus 1 is able to determine the vectors C-A and D- B, which represent both the distances C-A and D-B of said vulnerable road user (3) with respect to saidvehicle 2 in two successive instants t1 and t2 and the directions along which the distances C-A and D-B are determined with respect to the direction of displacement of saidvehicle 2, where C and D are the positions of said vulnerable road user (3) in the two instants t1 and t2, A is the position of saidvehicle 2 at the instant t1 and B is the position of saidvehicle 2 at the instant t2. - In this case, the
processing module 16 of the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C-A and D- B, processing in a known way (and consequently not described in detail) the time of flight associated to the radiofrequency signals exchanged between thewarning apparatus 5 and the identification device 4. - In the case where said vulnerable road user (3) is stationary Vc = 0 (
Figure 6 ), the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C - A and C - B that indicate both the distances C-A and C-B of said vulnerable road user (3) with respect to saidvehicle 2 in two successive instants t1 and t2 and the directions along which the distances C-A and C-B are determined with respect to the direction of displacement of saidvehicle 2, where C is the position of said vulnerable road user (3), A is the position of saidvehicle 2 at the instant t1, and B is the position of saidvehicle 2 at the instant t2. Also here theprocessing module 16 of the apparatus 1 determines the vectors C - A and C - B, processing in a known way (and consequently not described in detail) the time of flight associated to the radiofrequency signals exchanged between thewarning apparatus 5 and the identification device 4. - In the case where the apparatus 1 is provided with a satellite positioning device 9, it is then able to determine also the vector B - A indicating the distance between the positions A and B assumed by said
vehicle 2 in the two consecutive instants t1 and t2, its direction of displacement with respect to a pre-set reference system, and the speed Va and Vb of saidvehicle 2 in the two instants t1 and t2 - In addition, if the apparatus 1 co-operates with a set of directional antennas (not illustrated), such as for example a plurality of smart antennas arranged on said
vehicle 2 according to a pre-set known geometrical configuration (for example, according to a circular geometrical configuration), it is capable of detecting also the angles α1 and α2 that form the direction of advance of saidvehicle 2 with respect to a straight line that joins the latter with said vulnerable road user (3) in the successive instants t1 and t2. Also this type of calculation is known and consequently will not be further described. - The
processing module 16 of the apparatus 1, following upon detection of the information regarding the parameters C-A and C-B and/or C-A and D-B and/or Va and Vb and/or α1 and α2, is capable of identifying the instantaneous positions of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3) and the relative directions and speeds of displacement. It is evident that, following upon determination of the instantaneous speeds, theprocessing module 16 is able to determine also the acceleration of saidvehicle 2 and of said vulnerable road user (3). - The advantages deriving from the apparatus 1 described above are evident: the apparatus 1 gives the driver of said
vehicle 2 timely warning of the presence of a danger when a condition of potential impact between saidvehicle 2 and saidvulnerable road user 3 is predicted. Said warning in fact enables the driver to prepare himself with sufficient advance in a condition of particularly careful driving, which considerably reduces the risk of impact between saidvehicle 2 and said vulnerable road user (3) identified, and advantageously excludes all the conditions of alarm associated to the detection of the presence of said vulnerable road user (3), who, albeit vulnerable, are in a condition of non-impact with respect to saidvehicle 2 itself. - Finally, it is clear that modifications and variations can be made to the apparatus 1 described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the annexed claims.
Claims (9)
- A method for warning a driver of a vehicle (2) of a condition of danger deriving from the presence of at least one vulnerable road user (3), said method comprising:- transmitting via a user-identification device (4) carried by said vulnerable road user (3) a user-identification signal;- receiving (110) said user-identification signal via a warning device (5) installed on board said vehicle (2);- processing (130) said user-identification signal to determine a set of information regarding the displacement of said vulnerable road user (3);- comparing (140, 150, 160) the information regarding the displacement of said vulnerable road user (3) with a set of information regarding the displacement of said vehicle (2) in order to predict, on the basis of the results of said comparison, the presence or the absence of a condition of impact between said vehicle (2) and said vulnerable road user (3); and- in the case where said condition of impact is predicted, sending a warning (170) of a condition of danger to the driver of said vehicle (2) through warning means (11) installed on board said vehicle (2) itself;said method being characterized in that:- said step of comparing (140, 150, 160) said information regarding the displacement of said vulnerable road user (3) with a set of information regarding the displacement of said vehicle (2) comprises the step of verifying (140) whether the position of said vehicle (2) and the position of said vulnerable road user (3) can be represented within an electronic map contained in storage means (15) of said warning device (5);in the case where the position of said vehicle (2) and the position of said vulnerable road user (3) can be represented within said electronic map, verifying (240) whether the object of the electronic map which said vulnerable road user (3) occupies is or not contiguous to the road along which said vehicle (2) is travelling indicated in said electronic map; and
in the case where the position of said vehicle (2) and the position of said vulnerable road user (3) cannot be represented within said electronic map, determining the path of said vehicle (2) and the path of said vulnerable road user (3) as a function of the information regarding the displacement of said vehicle (2) and of said vulnerable road user (3); verifying (220) whether the distance measured between said vehicle (2) and a point of intersection (PT) of the paths of said vehicle (2) and of said vulnerable road user (3) satisfies a third relation with a pre-set safety distance (rS) and checking whether the speed of said vehicle (2) and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle (2) and said vulnerable road user (3) at said point of intersection (PT); in the case where said third relation is satisfied and, if the speed of said vehicle (2) and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle (2) and said vulnerable road user (3) at said point of intersection (PT), sending a warning (170) of a condition of danger to the driver of said vehicle (2). - The method according to Claim 1, further comprising:- transmitting (100) by means of said warning device (5) an inquiry signal outside said vehicle (2),the command for transmission of said identification signal via the user-identification device (4) being controlled following upon reception of said inquiry signal by said identification device (4).
- The method according to Claims 1 or 2, further comprising:- in the case where the object of the electronic map which said vulnerable road user (3) occupies is contiguous to the road along which said vehicle (2) is travelling implementing the following steps:- verifying (280) whether the distance measured between said vehicle (2) and a point of intersection (PT) of the paths of said vehicle (2) and of said vulnerable road user (3) satisfies a first relation with a pre-set safety distance (rS) and checking whether the speed of said vehicle (2) and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3) at said point of intersection (PT); and- in the case where said first relation is satisfied and if the speed of said vehicle (2) and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3) at said point of intersection (PT), sending a warning (170, 260) of a condition of danger to said driver of the vehicle (2).
- The method according to Claims 1 or 2, further comprising:- in the case where the object of the electronic map which said vulnerable road user (3) occupies is not contiguous to the road along which said vehicle (2) is travelling, implementing the following steps:- determining (250) a point of intersection (PS) between the road along which said vehicle (2) is travelling and the path of said vulnerable road user (3) on the electronic map;- verifying (250) whether the distance between said vehicle (2) and the point of intersection (PS) satisfies a second relation with a pre-set safety distance (rS); and- in the case where said second relation is satisfied, sending a warning (170, 260) of a condition of danger to the driver of said vehicle (2).
- The method according to Claim 4, further comprising:- in the case where the distance measured between said vehicle (2) and the point of intersection (PT) of the paths does not satisfy said second relation, and/or the speed of said vehicle (2) and of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as not to be able to cause an impact, verifying (290) whether the position of said vulnerable road user (3) in said electronic map is comprised within a corridor which has a pre-set width (D) and extends along the road on which said vehicle (2) is travelling, and whether said vulnerable road user (3) is at a distance from said vehicle (2) smaller than a pre-set safety distance (rS).
- The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein sending a warning (170) of a condition of danger to the driver of said vehicle (2) comprises:- transmitting (180, 190) a signal indicating said condition of danger to said identification device (4) so as to send an acoustic and/or visual and/or vibrational warning of said condition of danger to said vulnerable road user (3).
- An apparatus (1) for warning a driver of a vehicle (2) of a condition of danger deriving from the presence of at least one vulnerable road user (3), said apparatus comprising:- an identification device (4) designed to be carried by said vulnerable road user (3) and to transmit a user-identification signal;- a warning device (5) designed to be installed on board said vehicle (2) and to receive and process the user-identification signal in order to verify the presence of a condition of impact between said vehicle (2) and said vulnerable road user (3) so as to warn the driver of the vehicle (2) of a condition of danger; said warning device (5) comprising:- transceiver means (8,12) designed to receive said user-identification signal;- processing means (16) designed to process said user-identification signal to determine a set of information regarding the displacement of said vulnerable road user (3);- comparison means (140, 150, 160) designed to compare the information regarding the displacement of said vulnerable road user (3) with a set of information regarding the displacement of said vehicle (2) in order to predict, on the basis of the result of the comparison, the absence or the presence of a condition of impact between said vehicle (2) and said vulnerable road user (3);- warning means (17) designed to warn the driver of said vehicle (2) of a condition of danger when said condition of impact is predicted; and- storage means (15) containing an electronic geographical map;said apparatus being characterized in that said comparison means (140, 150, 160) comprises:- first control means (200) designed to verify whether the position of said vehicle (2) and the position of said vulnerable road user (3) calculated can be represented within the electronic geographical map;- second control means (240) designed to verify whether the object of the electronic map which said vulnerable road user (3) occupies is or not in a position adjacent to the road along which said vehicle (2) is travelling indicated in said electronic geographical map; and- third control means (220, 280) designed to verify whether the distance measured between said vehicle (2) and a point of intersection (PT) on said map of the paths of said vehicle (2) and of said vulnerable road user (3) satisfies a first relation with a pre-set safety distance (rS), and check whether the speed of said vehicle (2) and the speed of said vulnerable road user (3) are such as to be able to cause an impact between said vehicle and said vulnerable road user (3) at said point of intersection (PT) .
- The apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said transceiver means (8, 12) of said warning device (5) are designed to transmit an inquiry signal, and in that said identification device (5) comprises transceiver means (6) designed to transmit said identification signal following upon reception of said inquiry signal.
- The apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein said warning means (17) are designed for transmitting a signal encoding said condition of danger to said identification device (4), said identification device (4) comprising a warning module (4a) designed to warn said vulnerable road user of said condition of danger encoded in said transmitted signal.
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT05425841T ATE386998T1 (en) | 2005-11-29 | 2005-11-29 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETECTING A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS A RESULT OF ENDANGERED ROAD PARTICIPANTS AND FOR WARNING A VEHICLE DRIVER OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION |
DE602005004931T DE602005004931T2 (en) | 2005-11-29 | 2005-11-29 | Method and device for detecting a dangerous situation as a result of endangered road users and for warning a vehicle driver of this dangerous situation |
EP05425841A EP1791101B1 (en) | 2005-11-29 | 2005-11-29 | Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP05425841A EP1791101B1 (en) | 2005-11-29 | 2005-11-29 | Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1791101A1 EP1791101A1 (en) | 2007-05-30 |
EP1791101B1 true EP1791101B1 (en) | 2008-02-20 |
Family
ID=36177773
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP05425841A Active EP1791101B1 (en) | 2005-11-29 | 2005-11-29 | Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1791101B1 (en) |
AT (1) | ATE386998T1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE602005004931T2 (en) |
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE102012211958A1 (en) | 2012-07-09 | 2014-05-08 | Ewald Assion | Device for detection of person with radio frequency identification-transponder-reading device for passenger car, has support unit with units for fastening at body of person, at which reading device and transmitter are arranged |
US9316737B2 (en) | 2012-11-05 | 2016-04-19 | Spireon, Inc. | Container verification through an electrical receptacle and plug associated with a container and a transport vehicle of an intermodal freight transport system |
US9551788B2 (en) | 2015-03-24 | 2017-01-24 | Jim Epler | Fleet pan to provide measurement and location of a stored transport item while maximizing space in an interior cavity of a trailer |
US9779379B2 (en) | 2012-11-05 | 2017-10-03 | Spireon, Inc. | Container verification through an electrical receptacle and plug associated with a container and a transport vehicle of an intermodal freight transport system |
US9779449B2 (en) | 2013-08-30 | 2017-10-03 | Spireon, Inc. | Veracity determination through comparison of a geospatial location of a vehicle with a provided data |
DE102017206704A1 (en) * | 2017-04-20 | 2018-10-25 | Continental Teves Ag & Co. Ohg | Safety Signal Transmitter |
US10169822B2 (en) | 2011-12-02 | 2019-01-01 | Spireon, Inc. | Insurance rate optimization through driver behavior monitoring |
US10223744B2 (en) | 2013-12-31 | 2019-03-05 | Spireon, Inc. | Location and event capture circuitry to facilitate remote vehicle location predictive modeling when global positioning is unavailable |
US10255824B2 (en) | 2011-12-02 | 2019-04-09 | Spireon, Inc. | Geospatial data based assessment of driver behavior |
Families Citing this family (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2928482A1 (en) * | 2008-03-05 | 2009-09-11 | Bernard Nicolas Vitkovsky | Indication method for driver of three or four wheel vehicle e.g. car, involves transmitting radio-frequency signal by communication device, where signal is received to inform that vulnerable vehicle is entered into danger zone |
DE102010001869A1 (en) | 2010-02-12 | 2011-08-18 | Robert Bosch GmbH, 70469 | Device for warning pedestrian before approaching vehicle of collision danger for pedestrian, comprises receiving unit for receiving electromagnetic signal by receiving unit, which is emitted from vehicle regarding collision danger |
DE102012111846B4 (en) | 2011-12-05 | 2019-05-16 | Xuan Zhou | Collision protection method and collision protection system |
WO2015116498A1 (en) * | 2014-01-28 | 2015-08-06 | The Curators Of The University Of Missouri | Wireless beacon collision warning system |
DE102014114702A1 (en) * | 2014-10-09 | 2016-04-14 | Alessi Innovazioni GmbH | Method for avoiding collisions in traffic |
GB201505679D0 (en) * | 2015-04-01 | 2015-05-13 | Atsu Valentine | Cycling glove |
DE102015210780A1 (en) * | 2015-06-12 | 2016-12-15 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Method and control unit for communication between an autonomous vehicle and an occupant |
DE102015215679A1 (en) * | 2015-08-18 | 2017-02-23 | Continental Automotive Gmbh | Arrangement for monitoring the autonomous driving of a vehicle |
EP3840521B1 (en) * | 2018-09-21 | 2023-08-09 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Methods and devices for performing communication in wireless communication system |
Family Cites Families (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
IL128481A0 (en) * | 1999-02-11 | 2000-01-31 | Jaffe Shai | Road safety devices |
DE20208643U1 (en) * | 2002-05-30 | 2002-09-12 | Hagenbruch Olaf | Device for the active protection of people, transport devices, structures and objects in road traffic |
DE10253192A1 (en) * | 2002-11-15 | 2004-05-27 | Philips Intellectual Property & Standards Gmbh | Anti-collision system for use with road vehicle has position determining computer with GPS receiver and has radio transmitter ending signals to equipment carried by pedestrians |
-
2005
- 2005-11-29 EP EP05425841A patent/EP1791101B1/en active Active
- 2005-11-29 DE DE602005004931T patent/DE602005004931T2/en active Active
- 2005-11-29 AT AT05425841T patent/ATE386998T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Cited By (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10169822B2 (en) | 2011-12-02 | 2019-01-01 | Spireon, Inc. | Insurance rate optimization through driver behavior monitoring |
US10255824B2 (en) | 2011-12-02 | 2019-04-09 | Spireon, Inc. | Geospatial data based assessment of driver behavior |
DE102012211958A1 (en) | 2012-07-09 | 2014-05-08 | Ewald Assion | Device for detection of person with radio frequency identification-transponder-reading device for passenger car, has support unit with units for fastening at body of person, at which reading device and transmitter are arranged |
US9316737B2 (en) | 2012-11-05 | 2016-04-19 | Spireon, Inc. | Container verification through an electrical receptacle and plug associated with a container and a transport vehicle of an intermodal freight transport system |
US9779379B2 (en) | 2012-11-05 | 2017-10-03 | Spireon, Inc. | Container verification through an electrical receptacle and plug associated with a container and a transport vehicle of an intermodal freight transport system |
US9779449B2 (en) | 2013-08-30 | 2017-10-03 | Spireon, Inc. | Veracity determination through comparison of a geospatial location of a vehicle with a provided data |
US10223744B2 (en) | 2013-12-31 | 2019-03-05 | Spireon, Inc. | Location and event capture circuitry to facilitate remote vehicle location predictive modeling when global positioning is unavailable |
US9551788B2 (en) | 2015-03-24 | 2017-01-24 | Jim Epler | Fleet pan to provide measurement and location of a stored transport item while maximizing space in an interior cavity of a trailer |
DE102017206704A1 (en) * | 2017-04-20 | 2018-10-25 | Continental Teves Ag & Co. Ohg | Safety Signal Transmitter |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE602005004931T2 (en) | 2009-02-26 |
ATE386998T1 (en) | 2008-03-15 |
DE602005004931D1 (en) | 2008-04-03 |
EP1791101A1 (en) | 2007-05-30 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
EP1791101B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for detecting a condition of danger deriving from the presence of vulnerable road users and for warning the driver of a vehicle of said condition of danger | |
CN109937389B (en) | Operation safety system for automatic vehicle | |
CN104136260B (en) | Method for stopping with case of emergency making vehicle safety | |
JP6985203B2 (en) | Behavior prediction device | |
CN105518761B (en) | The method and control and detection device of row Credence test are driven into for the error row to motor vehicle | |
CN105324286B (en) | Method and apparatus for running vehicle | |
JP7052709B2 (en) | Vehicle control device and vehicle control method | |
KR101399026B1 (en) | Method for notification warning when vhicles change lanes system | |
US10825339B2 (en) | Method for providing drowsiness alerts in vehicles | |
JP3601451B2 (en) | Vehicle control method using vehicle location information | |
CN108388240A (en) | The method and system of advanced driving assistance system function is executed using over the horizon context aware | |
KR101362706B1 (en) | Method for runnability ensuring the vhicle's straight in complex lanes system | |
CN110192231B (en) | Method for informing at least one receiving vehicle of a vehicle traveling in error, server device and motor vehicle | |
CN112464229B (en) | Method and device for detecting spoofing attacks on an autopilot system | |
JP4877364B2 (en) | Object detection device | |
WO2004047047A1 (en) | Method and system for avoiding traffic collisions | |
CN110060465B (en) | Interaction method and interaction system for vehicle-pedestrian interaction system | |
CN109427215A (en) | Method and apparatus for carrying out mistake traveling warning to vehicle | |
CN104742901B (en) | Method and control and detection device for detecting the entry of a motor vehicle into a driving lane of a road counter to the direction of travel | |
US11210953B2 (en) | Driving support device | |
JP2019028841A (en) | Outboard notification device | |
JP4709099B2 (en) | Evaluation device, traffic information system, in-vehicle device, evaluation method for evaluation device, traffic information processing method for traffic information system, in-vehicle information processing method for in-vehicle device, evaluation program for evaluation device, and in-vehicle information processing program for in-vehicle device | |
CN110827575A (en) | Cooperative vehicle safety system and method | |
JP4983542B2 (en) | Vehicle travel control device | |
JP7213265B2 (en) | vehicle control system |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20060616 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
AX | Request for extension of the european patent |
Extension state: AL BA HR MK YU |
|
GRAP | Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1 |
|
GRAS | Grant fee paid |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3 |
|
GRAA | (expected) grant |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210 |
|
AKX | Designation fees paid |
Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: B1 Designated state(s): AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: GB Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: EP |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: IE Ref legal event code: FG4D |
|
REF | Corresponds to: |
Ref document number: 602005004931 Country of ref document: DE Date of ref document: 20080403 Kind code of ref document: P |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: FI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: ES Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080531 Ref country code: IS Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080620 |
|
NLV1 | Nl: lapsed or annulled due to failure to fulfill the requirements of art. 29p and 29m of the patents act | ||
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: AT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: PL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: LV Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: SI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: BE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
ET | Fr: translation filed | ||
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CZ Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: DK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: NL Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: PT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080721 Ref country code: SK Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 Ref country code: SE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080520 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: RO Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PLBE | No opposition filed within time limit |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT |
|
26N | No opposition filed |
Effective date: 20081121 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: LT Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: BG Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080520 Ref country code: EE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: MC Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20081130 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CY Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IE Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20081201 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: CH Ref legal event code: PL |
|
GBPC | Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20091129 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: HU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080821 Ref country code: LU Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20081129 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: TR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080220 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: CH Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20091130 Ref country code: LI Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20091130 Ref country code: GR Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT Effective date: 20080521 |
|
PG25 | Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: GB Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES Effective date: 20091129 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005004931 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: ZENZ PATENT- UND RECHTSANWAELTE GBR, DE Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005004931 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: ZENZ PATENT- UND RECHTSANWAELTE, DE Ref country code: DE Ref legal event code: R082 Ref document number: 602005004931 Country of ref document: DE Representative=s name: ZENZ PATENTANWAELTE PARTNERSCHAFT MBB, DE |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 11 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 12 |
|
REG | Reference to a national code |
Ref country code: FR Ref legal event code: PLFP Year of fee payment: 13 |
|
PGFP | Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo] |
Ref country code: IT Payment date: 20231019 Year of fee payment: 19 Ref country code: FR Payment date: 20231019 Year of fee payment: 19 Ref country code: DE Payment date: 20231019 Year of fee payment: 19 |