665 results about "Collision avoidance system" patented technology

A safety critical, time sensitive data system for projecting safety / mission critical data onto a display pair of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) light weight projection glasses or monocular creating a virtual 360° HUD (Heads Up Display) with 6 degrees of freedom movement. The system includes the display, the workstation, the application software, and inputs containing the safety / mission critical information (Current User Position, Total Collision Avoidance System—TCAS, Global Positioning System—GPS, Magnetic Resonance Imaging—MRI Images, CAT scan images, Weather data, Military troop data, real-time space type markings etc.). The workstation software processes the incoming safety / mission critical data and converts it into a three dimensional space for the user to view. Selecting any of the images may display available information about the selected item or may enhance the image. Predicted position vectors may be displayed as well as 3D terrain.

A collision avoidance system for a vehicle includes a collision avoidance processor, and an active sensor for obtaining successive range measurements to objects along a path transversed by the vehicle. The active sensor includes a near range gate for obtaining a near range measurement to objects located at a range less than a first predetermined range, and a far range gate for obtaining a far range measurement to objects located at a range greater than a second predetermined range. The near and far range measurements are provided to the collision avoidance processor for maneuvering of the vehicle.

A safety critical, time sensitive data system for projecting safety / mission critical data onto a display pair of Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) light weight projection glasses or monocular creating a virtual 360° HUD (Heads Up Display) with 6 degrees of freedom movement. The system includes the display, the workstation, the application software, and inputs containing the safety / mission critical information (Current User Position, Total Collision Avoidance System—TCAS, Global Positioning System—GPS, Magnetic Resonance Imaging—MRI Images, CAT scan images, Weather data, Military troop data, real-time space type markings etc.). The workstation software processes the incoming safety / mission critical data and converts it into a three dimensional space for the user to view. Selecting any of the images may display available information about the selected item or may enhance the image. Predicted position vectors may be displayed as well as 3D terrain.

An apparatus and method for combining the functionality of multiple airborne traffic surveillance systems that operate in the L-band frequency range. The apparatus and method combine the functionality of both a Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and a Mode-Select (Mode-S) transponder in an integrated L-band traffic surveillance apparatus having a single processor that is embodied in a single Line Replaceable Unit.

An apparatus and method for combining the functionality of multiple airborne traffic surveillance systems that operate in the L-band frequency range. The apparatus and method combine the functionality of both a Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and a Mode-Select (Mode-S) transponder in an integrated L-band traffic surveillance apparatus having a single processor that is embodied in a single Line Replaceable Unit.

A collision avoidance system including a control module, a first transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the first transmitting device transmits a signal, a first receiving device connected to the control module, wherein the first receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the first transmitting device and transmits a first return signal representative of the return to the control device, a second transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the second transmitting device transmits a signal, and a second receiving device connected to the control module device, wherein the second receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the second transmitting device and transmits a second return signal representative of the return to the control device, wherein the control module includes measurement circuitry used to measure the first and second return signals and display means for displaying a transverse location of an object as a function of said first and second return signals.

A Heads-Up-Display (“HUD”) system for projecting safety / mission critical data onto a display pair of light weight projection glasses or monocular creating a virtual 360 degree is disclosed. The HUD system includes a see-through display surface, a workstation, application software, and inputs containing the safety / mission critical information (Current User Position, Total Collision Avoidance System—TCAS, Global Positioning System—GPS, Magnetic Resonance Imaging—MRI Images, CAT scan images, Weather data, Military troop data, real-time space type markings etc.). The workstation software processes the incoming safety / mission critical data and converts it into a three-dimensional stereographic space for the user to view. Selecting any of the images may display available information about the selected item or may enhance the image. Predicted position vectors may be displayed as well as three-dimensional terrain.

A worksite mapping system is disclosed. The worksite mapping system has a receiving module configured to receive a position and a characteristic of an object at a worksite, a positioning device configured to determine a position of a mobile machine at the worksite, and a controller in communication with the receiving module and the positioning device. The controller is configured to generate an electronic map of the worksite, and an electronic representation of the object on the electronic map based on the received position. The controller is further configured to generate at least one boundary zone around the object based on the received characteristic, and an electronic representation of the mobile machine on the electronic map based on the determined position. The controller is further configured to initiate a collision avoidance strategy in response to a mobile machine entering the at least one boundary zone.

A railroad collision avoidance system and method are disclosed that utilize impulse radio technology to effectively warn a person when there is a locomotive in their vicinity. In one embodiment, the railroad collision avoidance system includes a transmitting impulse radio unit coupled to a locomotive and a receiving impulse radio unit coupled to a vehicle. The transmitting impulse radio unit operates to transmit an impulse radio signal towards the vehicle when the locomotive is a predetermined distance from a railroad crossing. Upon receiving the impulse radio signal, the receiving impulse radio unit makes sure the person operating the vehicle is informed about the potentially dangerous situation. Several embodiments of the railroad collision avoidance system and method are disclosed all of which operate to warn a person when there is a locomotive in their vicinity.

Personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices configured to be used in collision avoidance systems are disclosed. The collision avoidance devices are configured to be aware of the context (e.g. position, location, state, status, etc.) in which the person or vehicle is. This awareness allows the devices to avoid transmitting non-hazardous proximity warnings when the context does not warrant the transmission of proximity warnings, and to transmit special critical proximity warnings when the context warrants the transmission of such proximity warnings. To detect the context, the devices comprise one or more context-awareness mechanisms (e.g. user input interfaces, sensors, infra-red receivers, etc.), each of which being capable of detecting one or more particular contexts. A collision avoidance system comprising these personnel and vehicle collision avoidance devices is also presented.

A display presents to the viewer the outputs of a dual mode Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) / Intra-Formation Position Collision Avoidance System (IFPCAS). IFPCAS requires the cooperation of a least two formation follower aircraft in conjunction with the formation lead aircraft. The display indicates the relative velocity of the other formation follower aircraft, with respect to the formation lead aircraft, in addition to other types of information.

A collision avoidance system including a control module, a first transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the first transmitting device transmits a signal, a first receiving device connected to the control module, wherein the first receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the first transmitting device and transmits a first return signal representative of the return to the control device, a second transmitting device connected to the control module, wherein the second transmitting device transmits a signal, and a second receiving device connected to the control module device, wherein the second receiving device receives a return of the signal transmitted from the second transmitting device and transmits a second return signal representative of the return to the control device, wherein the control module includes measurement circuitry used to measure the first and second return signals and display means for displaying a transverse location of an object as a function of said first and second return signals.

A laser radar device for transmitting laser pulses, collecting the reflected data from surrounding objects, producing the three-dimensional time-dependent object representations and using these dynamic three-dimensional representations in avoiding collisions or minimizing damage resulting from collisions.

Collision avoidance systems and methods are implemented on unmanned mobile vehicles to supplement map-based trajectories generated by the vehicles' navigation systems. These systems include radar, which detect obstacles in the path of the unmanned mobile vehicles, and collision avoidance modules, which enable the vehicles to avoid unexpected obstacles by adjusting their trajectories and velocities based on feedback received from the radar. In general, when an obstacle is detected by the radar, the collision avoidance module modifies the commanded velocity of an unmanned mobile vehicle by subtracting from the nominal commanded velocity the component that is in the direction of the obstacle. The magnitude of the velocity modification typically increases as the distance between the mobile vehicle and the obstacle decreases.

A passive Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and method is based on receiving and processing Mode-S transponder messages without the TCAS computer having to interrogate the transponders of the respective aircraft flying in formation (i.e., a passive TCAS). A TCAS computer and Mode-S transponder are used to provide distributed intra-formation control among multiple cells of aircraft flying in formation or close-in. The Mode-S transponder provides ADS-B Global Positioning System (GPS) squitter data to the TCAS computer; the TCAS computer receives and processes the data without having to interrogate the transponders of the multiple cells of aircraft. The method and system allow a safe separation between 2 to 250 aircraft flying in formation at selectable ranges.

Methods and apparatus for synchronizing Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) communication within a multi-mode radio. A multi-mode radio can support communication with a WLAN and at least one other wireless communication system. The multiple systems can be distinct and asynchronous. Transmitting, or attempting to transmit, over a WLAN communication link can result in interference that degrades the sensitivity of a receiver in another communication system, or that interferes with a transmission in another communication system. The WLAN transmissions can be synchronized to operation in another communication system by generating a signal that can be coupled to a collision avoidance system in the WLAN transmitter. The signal can operate to cause the WLAN transmitter to reschedule the transmission to another time such that the resources of the multi-mode radio are conserved and the WLAN interference is minimized.

The present invention is directed to systems, devices and methods for avoiding collisions and detecting objects proximate to a surface. In one embodiment, a system for collision avoidance includes at least one sensor adapted to sense an object above a lift device and a controller linked to the at least one sensor and linked to the drive components of the device and adapted to interrupt operation of the lift drive when the lift device approaches or touches the object. In another aspect of the invention, at least one controller is linked between at least one hand control and at least one drive adapted to move a lift device, the controller being adapted to interrupt operation of the drive when the lift device approaches or touches an object.

The present invention discloses a system which alerts vehicle drivers to avoid intersection vehicle collision, said system comprises ofa plurality of vehicles containing a vehicle mount or portable collision avoidance device, the device having;a vehicle speed compare-tore CPU,a vehicle travel direction and vehicle location detection circuitry,a first and a secondary warning alarm circuitry, andan RF transceiver for receiving traffic signal light condition information from a broadcasting station which includes a traffic lights ID number, at least one traffic light condition signal at acquisition time.The vehicle collision avoidance device generate a first warning alarm signal to warn the driver if the driver is not in compliance with the traffic light condition, if the driver becomes none responsive to the first warning alarm signal, the collision avoidance device transmits a secondary warring alarm signal(s) to other vehicle drivers the presence of an intersection vehicle collision condition.

Apparatus and methods for assisting collision avoidance between a vehicle and an object include receiving an acoustic signal from the object using microphones supported by the vehicle, and determining a location of the object using the acoustic signal and an acoustic model of the environment, the environment including a structure that blocks a direct view of the object from the vehicle.

According to the present invention, an obstacle detection means detects an obstacle. An action range presumption unit presumes an action range in which the obstacle can exist in a predetermined time if the obstacle accelerates, decelerates, or turns on the basis of the moving performance of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detection means. An action probability presumption unit presumes a probability of the obstacle existing in the action range on the basis of the conditions of the road on which a host vehicle and the obstacle exist and the action history of the obstacle. A driving operation support unit determines a target locus which prevents the host vehicle from moving into the presumed action range or to a position where the action probability is high and generates vehicle control information necessary for making the host vehicle run along the target locus. The driving operation support unit gives the driver instructions and warnings and assists the driver with driving operation support operations. Thus, the possibility of collision of the host vehicle with the obstacle can be reduced even if the obstacle makes an action beyond the scope of the driver's assumption.

A collision avoidance system for a vehicle. The collision avoidance system includes one or more transmitting devices, one or more receiving devices, a control module and a mirror. The receiving devices receive return signals and send information regarding the return signals to the control module. The control module detects a hazard based on the information received from the one or more receiving devices. The mirror includes visual indicators for warning a driver of the hazard detected by the control module.

A system and method of intelligent navigation with collision avoidance for a vehicle is provided. The system includes a global positioning system and a vehicle navigation means in communication with the global positioning system. The system also includes a centrally located processor in communication with the navigation means, and an information database associated with the controller, for identifying a location of a first vehicle and a second vehicle. The system further includes an alert means for transmitting an alert message to the vehicle operator regarding a collision with a second vehicle. The method includes the steps of determining a geographic location of a first vehicle and a second vehicle within an environment using the global positioning system on the first vehicle and the global positioning system on the second vehicle, and modeling a collision avoidance domain of the environment of the first vehicle as a discrete state space Markov Decision Process. The methodology scales down the model of the collision avoidance domain, and determines an optimal value function and control policy that solves the scaled down collision avoidance domain. The methodology extracts a basis function from the optimal value function, scales up the extracted basis function to represent the unscaled domain, and determines an approximate solution to the control policy by solving the rescaled domain using the scaled up basis function. The methodology further uses the solution to determine if the second vehicle may collide with the first vehicle and transmits a message to the user notification device.

A collision avoidance system (CAS) is described that includes one or more sensor technologies, including, for example, an Ultra Wideband (UWB) sensing technology. The collision avoidance system is designed to reliably track the location and speed of vehicles and the distance between vehicles over a wide variety of track and terrain. The collision avoidance system may utilize information from a variety of sensor technologies to determine whether one or more vehicles violate speed and / or separation criteria, and may generate a warning.

The present invention relates to a collision avoidance system based on the detection of obstacles in the blind spots of a vehicle. The collision avoidance system includes turn signal lamp detection means for detecting whether a turn signal lamp of the vehicle is turned on. CCD camera means captures an image for a road environment, and outputs the captured image as road environment data, thus determining whether a current road environment indicates a winding road. Steering angle detection means detects a steering angle of the vehicle and outputs a resulting signal as a steering angle signal. Infrared sensor means transmits or receives infrared light to or from an obstacle present in the blind spot of the vehicle according to the steering angle signal, and outputs an obstacle detection signal. Warning means is configured to provide a warning of possibility of a collision between the obstacle and the vehicle to a driver. Control means automatically drives the warning means when the obstacle detection signal for the blind spot is received from the infrared sensor means in a case where a turn signal lamp is determined to be turned on by the turn signal lamp detection means, or where a lane change is determined to be performed by receiving the road environment data from the CCD camera means and the steering angle signal measured by the steering angle detection means.

A passive Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and method is based on receiving and processing Mode-S transponder messages without the TCAS computer having to interrogate the transponders of the respective aircraft flying in formation (i.e., a passive TCAS). A TCAS computer and Mode-S transponder are used to provide distributed intra-formation control among multiple cells of aircraft flying in formation or close-in. The Mode-S transponder provides ADS-B Global Positioning System (GPS) squitter data to the TCAS computer; the TCAS computer receives and processes the data without having to interrogate the transponders of the multiple cells of aircraft. The method and system allow a safe separation between 2 to 250 aircraft flying in formation at selectable ranges.

A free flight obstacle avoidance system (OAS) is a commanded obstacle resolution feedback system. The system employs insertion of hybridized elements to the existing designs of Adaptive Ground Collision Avoidance Systems and Midair Collision Avoidance Systems along with a newly design module, the obstacle avoidance dispatcher and resolver, to provide a coherent obstacle resolution. The system is capable of filtering data produced by the hybrid ground collision avoidance module and the hybrid air collision avoidance module, inserting evaluating solution status and command directives before routing avoidance data to hybrid modules for validation. The dispatcher and resolver module determines the final obstacle resolution to generate avoidance control guidance and appropriate warnings clearly indicated obstacle situation and obstacle avoidance maneuvers to the flight crew. In addition to the avoidance capabilities, the system also provides extended functions of terrain following guidance and space separation warnings.

A driver assistance or collision avoidance system is adapted for use with trailing and preceding host vehicles, and in a preferred embodiment includes a preceding vehicle speed sensor for determining the current speed of the preceding vehicle at a point; a vehicle-to-vehicle communication sub-system; a normal speed determining sub-system operable to determine the normally expected speed of the preceding vehicle at the point, and including an exterior remote vehicle sensor or digital map-indicia database; and a controller configured to compare the current and normally expected speeds, and the discrepancy there-between to a threshold, and cause an alert to be generated only when the discrepancy exceeds the threshold or an otherwise stalled condition is determined.

A method to provide and implement a collision avoidance system for a vehicle. The method includes receiving a buffer zone boundary input defining a buffer zone at an on-board processor in the vehicle from a controlling supervisor, calculating a positively invariant set based on vehicle states and dynamic characteristics, the positively invariant set operable to define a protection zone enclosed within the buffer zone and centered about the vehicle, determining an object is traversing the buffer zone boundary; and implementing an emergency maneuver procedure after a collision avoidance maneuver fails, wherein the object does not enter the protection zone.

The present invention discloses a system that alerts the operator of a vehicle, when operator is not in compliance with an intersection signal condition, where the intersection traffic signal conditions does not permit driver of vehicles to cross the intersection. The system comprises of traffic light or stop sign RF transmitter or transceiver units, and plurality of vehicles equipped with vehicle collision avoidance device containing RF transceivers to receive signals from the intersection signal transmitter units, the vehicle collision avoidance device is equipped with vehicle speed comparator CPU and vehicle travel direction sensing circuitry using a compass or GPS receiver to determine vehicle travel direction and monitor vehicle speed. A beeper, LED or vibrator is incorporated for warning the driver.If a vehicle operator becomes none responsive to maintain vehicle speed in compliances with the traffic signal light condition, the vehicle collision avoidance device alerts the driver with audio visual and vibrating alarm signals for the driver to slow down the vehicle to stop. If within a determined time the driver does not comply, the vehicle collision avoidance device generates a secondary audio and visual signals to alert pedestrians, and transmits RF signals to other vehicles equipped with collision avoidance devise for the driver(s) located at that intersection take necessary measures to avoid an intersection collision.