Collision Avoidance Device Driver Intent Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional collision avoidance devices often interfere with a driver's intention to overtake a preceding vehicle by triggering avoidance braking when the inter-vehicle distance shortens, making it difficult for the driver to accelerate as intended.

Innovation Solution

A collision avoidance device that includes a determiner to assess the driver's intention through accelerator pedal operations, inhibiting or ending avoidance braking when the driver intends to accelerate or cancel the function, using thresholds for pedal stroke, depression speed, and number of depressions to differentiate between intentional and accidental actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the collision avoidance function is activated to prevent collision with preceding vehicles, then collision safety is improved, but the driver's ability to overtake the preceding vehicle is hindered when the inter-vehicle distance shortens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision safetyVSAvoidovertaking maneuver
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The collision avoidance function is made dynamically controllable by the driver through accelerator pedal operations. The system transitions between active and inactive states based on driver input patterns, allowing the driver to temporarily disable avoidance braking when intending to overtake by performing specific pedal operations (rapid depression, holding beyond threshold, or multiple depressions within a time window).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The accelerator pedal serves as an intermediary control mechanism between the driver and the collision avoidance function. By monitoring pedal stroke amount, depression speed, and operation patterns, the system interprets driver intent and accordingly modulates the collision avoidance function without requiring a separate switch or button.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the collision avoidance function automatically brakes when inter-vehicle distance decreases, then collision prevention is improved, but the driver's acceleration intention is overridden making overtaking difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision preventionVSAvoidovertaking efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on real-time driver inputs. When the driver performs specific accelerator pedal operations indicating overtaking intent, the collision avoidance function is temporarily suspended, allowing the vehicle to accelerate and close the gap to the preceding vehicle without automatic braking interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors accelerator pedal operations and provides feedback by adjusting the collision avoidance function accordingly. The determiner detects pedal stroke amount, depression speed, and operation patterns, and the controller responds by inhibiting or ending avoidance braking when overtaking intent is detected, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to driver behavior.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the collision avoidance function is continuously active to ensure safety, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but the system cannot distinguish between accidental pedal depression during braking and intentional acceleration by the driver

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidance capabilityVSAvoiddriver intention recognition
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses dynamic thresholds and time-based criteria to distinguish between accidental and intentional accelerator pedal operations. By considering the timing of pedal operations relative to avoidance braking activation, the depression speed, and the magnitude of pedal stroke, the system adapts its interpretation of driver intent in real-time contexts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The determiner continuously monitors accelerator pedal operations and provides feedback to the controller to adjust collision avoidance function execution. By analyzing multiple parameters (pedal stroke amount, depression speed, number of depressions within a time window) and comparing them against thresholds, the system accurately distinguishes between accidental pedal contact during braking and genuine driver acceleration intent.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3225486B1Collision avoidance device
Publication Date: 2021.09.29 ADVICS CO LTD
  • EP3225486B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3225486B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3225486B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A collision avoidance device includes, for example, a collision avoidance executor that executes a collision avoidance function for avoiding collision with an object to be avoided; a determiner that determines, based on an operation of an accelerator pedal by a driver, whether the driver has an intention of acceleration; and a collision avoidance controller that inhibits the execution of the collision avoidance function when the driver is determined to have the intention of acceleration.