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EP-4494954-B1 - AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE

EP4494954B1EP 4494954 B1EP4494954 B1EP 4494954B1EP-4494954-B1

Inventors

  • Carbaugh, Jeffrey M.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240703

Claims (20)

  1. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) for a host vehicle having one or more sensors providing one or more sensor signals indicative of status of at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) comprising: a vehicle controller (140) arranged to (i) monitor the one or more sensor signals indicative of the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle in the event of the host vehicle colliding with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle, characterized in that the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle is associated with velocity of the at least one vehicle relative to velocity of the host vehicle.
  2. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller (140) is arranged to provide the at least one control signal based upon a comparison of the velocity of the host vehicle and the velocity of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle.
  3. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control signal comprises a combination of a foundation brake control signal, an engine retarding control signal, and a throttle limiting control signal.
  4. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 1 further comprising: a brake controller (150) arranged to provide a foundation brake control signal to foundation brakes (154) of the host vehicle; and a powertrain controller (160) arranged to provide (i) an engine retarding control signal to an engine retarder (164) of the host vehicle, and (ii) a throttle limiting control signal to a throttle limiter (168) of the host vehicle; wherein the vehicle controller (140) provides (i) a control signal to the brake controller (150) so that the brake controller (150) can control the foundation brakes (154), and (ii) a control signal to the powertrain controller (160) so that the powertrain controller (160) can control the engine retarder (164) and the throttle limiter (168) and thereby to control extent of deceleration of the host vehicle.
  5. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 4, wherein the brake controller (150), the powertrain controller (160), and the vehicle controller (140) are each a separate controller.
  6. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller (140) comprises a controller of an advanced driver assistance system.
  7. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) for a host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) comprising: at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof; a first traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a first moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and to provide a first velocity signal indicative thereof; control means for, when the collision signal is provided, controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon the first velocity signal, characterized in that the autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) further comprising a second traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a second moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and provide a second velocity signal indicative thereof.
  8. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the first and second velocity signals are processed to provide a traffic velocity signal.
  9. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle based upon the traffic velocity signal.
  10. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 8, wherein the first and second velocity signals are averaged to provide an average traffic velocity signal.
  11. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using foundation brakes (154) of the host vehicle.
  12. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using an engine retarder (164) of the host vehicle.
  13. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the control means is arranged to controllably decelerate the host vehicle using a throttle limiter (168) of the host vehicle.
  14. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 7, wherein the control means comprises a combination of a brake controller (150), a powertrain controller (160), and a vehicle controller (140).
  15. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) for a host vehicle, the autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) comprising: at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof; and a vehicle controller (140) arranged to (i) monitor the at least one sensor, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon a relative velocity difference between the host vehicle and a vehicle in front of the host vehicle when the at least one sensor provides the collision signal indicative of the host vehicle colliding with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle, characterized in that the relative velocity difference is velocity of the host vehicle at moment of collision impact subtracted from velocity of the front vehicle at moment of collision impact.
  16. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 15, wherein the at least one control signal is provided to control extent of deceleration when the relative velocity difference is less than a predetermined velocity threshold.
  17. An autonomous emergency braking apparatus (100) according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined velocity threshold is between about 10 miles per hour and 30 miles per hour.
  18. An autonomous emergency braking method for a host vehicle in the event of a collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle, the method comprising: controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon velocity of one or more moving vehicles adjacent to the host vehicle; and determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated, characterized in that determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated includes: prolonging how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated based upon at least a difference between velocity of the vehicle in front of the host vehicle and velocity of the host vehicle at the moment of collision impact of the host vehicle with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle.
  19. An autonomous emergency braking method according to claim 18 further comprising: continue decelerating the host vehicle when current velocity of the host vehicle after collision impact plus a configurable offset velocity value is greater than velocity of the host vehicle at the moment of collision impact; and discontinue decelerating the host vehicle when current velocity of the host vehicle after collision impact plus the configurable offset velocity value is less than velocity of the host vehicle at the moment of collision impact.
  20. An autonomous emergency braking method according to claim 18 further comprising: averaging a velocity of a moving vehicle adjacent to left-side of the host vehicle and a velocity of a moving vehicle adjacent to right-side of the host vehicle to provide a traffic velocity that is an average of the velocities.

Description

Background The present invention relates to vehicle emergency braking systems, and is particularly directed to an autonomous emergency braking apparatus for a vehicle such as a commercial vehicle (e.g., a truck). Vehicle emergency braking systems for trucks are known for example from US 10 486 692 B2, US 2018/208192 A1 or US 6 084 508 A. One type of vehicle emergency braking system for trucks is an autonomous emergency braking system in which brakes are applied in response to detection of a truck collision. Collision mitigation systems for lessening severity of a collision or potential collision with a forward vehicle are also known. In a known collision mitigation system, the brakes can be continuously applied if needed. Despite advancements already made, those skilled in the art continue with research and development efforts in the field of vehicle emergency braking systems and collision mitigation systems, such as those used in trucks. Summary In accordance with one embodiment, an autonomous emergency braking apparatus is provided for a host vehicle having one or more sensors providing one or more sensor signals indicative of status of at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprises a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the one or more sensor signals indicative of the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle in the event of the host vehicle colliding with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle, wherein the status of the at least one vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle is associated with velocity of the at least one vehicle relative to velocity of the host vehicle. In accordance with another embodiment, an autonomous emergency braking apparatus is provided for a host vehicle. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprises at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof. The apparatus also comprises a first traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a first moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and to provide a first velocity signal indicative thereof. The apparatus further comprises control means for, when the collision signal is provided, controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon the first velocity signal and a second traffic sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect velocity of a second moving vehicle adjacent to the host vehicle and provide a second velocity signal indicative thereof. In accordance with still another embodiment, an autonomous emergency braking apparatus is provided for a host vehicle. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus comprises at least one sensor mounted on the host vehicle and arranged to detect a potential or actual collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle and to provide a collision signal indicative thereof. The autonomous emergency braking apparatus also comprises a vehicle controller arranged to (i) monitor the at least one sensor, and (ii) provide at least one control signal for controlling extent of deceleration of the host vehicle based upon a relative velocity difference between the host vehicle and a vehicle in front of the host vehicle when the at least one sensor provides the collision signal indicative of the host vehicle colliding with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle, wherein the relative velocity difference is velocity of the host vehicle at moment of collision impact subtracted from velocity of the front vehicle at moment of collision impact. An autonomous emergency braking method is provided for a host vehicle in the event of a collision of the host vehicle with a vehicle in front of the host vehicle. The method comprises controllably decelerating the host vehicle based upon velocity of one or more moving vehicles adjacent to the host vehicle. The method also comprises determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated, and determining how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated includes prolonging how long the host vehicle is to be controllably decelerated based upon at least a difference between velocity of the vehicle in front of the host vehicle and velocity of the host vehicle at the moment of collision impact of the host vehicle with the vehicle in front of the host vehicle. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example autonomous emergency braking apparatus constructed in accordance with an embodiment.Fig. 2 is a flow diagram depicting an example method of operating the autonomous emergency braking apparatus of Fig. 1 in acc