US5983161A — GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and contr…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 328 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of automobiles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a highway on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one automobile on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary range signals, including correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in, the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the highway on the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one automobile from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of automobiles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one automobile each of the others' of the plurality of automobiles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one automobile, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one automobile in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one automobile with the control signals to operate the one automobile laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 328 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of automobiles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a highway on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one automobile on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary range signals, including correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in, the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the highway on the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one automobile from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of automobiles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one automobile each of the others' of the plurality of automobiles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one automobile, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one automobile in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one automobile with the control signals to operate the one automobile laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the pseudolite signals include carrier phase signals and the further measurements include ambiguity resolution measurements.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the first communication link is a GPS receiver and the second communication link is a GPS transceiver each operating on separate predetermined frequencies.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 including a third satellite communication link for auxiliary control information.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 including a cellular telephone link for auxiliary control information.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the determining continuously the one's kinematic position step further comprises the step of: determining the one's attitude relative to a predetermined direction over the earth's surface using multiple antennae supported on the extremities of the one automobile and phase comparing the GPS signals simultaneously received at the antennae.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 6 wherein the attitude includes yaw and roll about mutually orthogonol axes of the automobile.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step includes analyzing the one's attitude, and wherein the step of determining the one's expert driving response further comprises the step of: attitude compensating the expert driving response.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating step further comprises the step of: communicating on the second communication link.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 4 wherein the communicating step further comprises the step of: communicating on a third control communication link via a separate control transceiver in the one automobile.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the kinematic tracking position information includes position, velocity and acceleration vectors.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the status information includes known obstacles which can be potential hazards to the one automobile.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the received information is received from another one or each other one of the plurality of automobiles, the one station, the control center or a communications satellite.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the communicating step further comprises the step of: communicating using a speech synthesizer computer which recognizes the voice of the one automobile's operator.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of: displaying on a heads up display in the one automobile a response to the one operator's speech received in the one automobile.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 85 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of: detecting multiple objects in all directions relative to the one automobile, wherein the analyzing step includes analyzing all objects and ranking all potential hazards and objects for determining the most effective collision avoidance strategy, and wherein the step of determining the one's expert driving response further comprises the step of: determining with said fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms one's expert driving response relative to each object which is a potential collision hazard.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the detecting step includes detecting said objects by scanning with one or more television cameras supported on the one automobile, and wherein the analyzing step includes processing and analyzing digital signals indicative of video images detected by the one or more television cameras.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the detecting step includes detecting said objects by scanning with one or more radar-based ranging mechanisms supported on the one automobile, wherein the analyzing step includes processing and analyzing digital signals indicative of the bearing, distance, and elevation to the objects detected by the one or more radar-based ranging mechanisms.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the detecting step further comprises: detecting said objects on or about the roadway in the vicinity of the one automobile by scanning a motion sensing device embedded in the roadway and transmitting to the one automobile signals indicative of the bearing, distance and elevation of the detected objects relative to a reference.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 16 wherein said objects include fixed or moving, or known or unknown obstacles, people, bicycles, animals, signs, terrain, roadway features and turns.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the communicating step includes communicating the one's status information describing selected ones of the detected objects, and the receiving step includes receiving the others' status information describing selected ones of the others' detected objects.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step further comprises: analyzing inputs from the one's speedometer, environmental inputs, and inputs describing characteristics of the operator of the one automobile.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the analyzing step further comprises the step of: calculating a collision vector for each collision hazard.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the one's expert driving response includes determining a collision avoidance maneuver.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of intelligibly indicating a warning further comprises the step of: warning the operator of the one automobile of said expert driving response, and wherein the coordinately actuating step further comprises coordinately actuating the control systems only when a collision remains imminent.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the warning indicating step further comprises the step of: visually indicating the existence of a hazardous condition.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 26 wherein the step of visually indicating further comprises the step of: displaying a visually perceptible symbol on a windshield of the one automobile.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method of claim 26 wherein the step of visually indicating further comprises the step of: displaying the relative position and motion between the one automobile and any collision hazard.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the warning indicating step further comprises the step of: repeatedly actuating a headlight system, a horn system, or a collision warning light system.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the warning indicating step further comprises the step of: generating sounds of select speech of warning of a hazardous condition.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 30 wherein the generating sounds of select speech step further comprises the step of: recommending an expert driving response.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 31 wherein the recommending an expert driving response step further comprises the step of: synthetically generating one of the following words of speech depending on the kind of expert driving response: "slow down", "stop", "swerve left", and "swerve right".

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the coordinately actuating step further comprises the step of: operating one or more of the following systems depending on the kind of expert driving response determined by the fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms: a brake, acceleration, steering, horn, light, windshield wiper, seat, mirror, air conditioning, heater, defogger and communication system.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: repeatedly repeating the communicating step.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of: communicating an emergency call for help in the event of an unavoidable collision.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 412 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning system comprising: a receiver supported in one of a plurality of automobiles for receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a highway on a surface of the earth, a receiver supported in the one automobile for receiving continuously on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for improving GPS ranging accuracy and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the highway on the surface of the earth, a processor supported in the one automobile for determining continuously at the one automobile from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, a transceiver for communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of automobiles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one automobile each of the others' of the plurality of automobiles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, a detector supported on the one automobile for detecting multiple objects in all directions relative to the one automobile, a processor supported in the one automobile for analyzing in a neural network all of the kinematic tracking position data, detected objects data and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard and object relative to the one automobile for determining the most effective collision avoidance strategy, determining with a fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic control the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard and object, and generating expert driving response fuzzy logic control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one automobile in a coordinated manner, an attention device for intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard at least to the operator of the one automobile, and an actuator for coordinately operating the control systems of the one automobile in response to the control signals to maneuver the one automobile laterally and longitudinally as necessary in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 412 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning system comprising: a receiver supported in one of a plurality of automobiles for receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a highway on a surface of the earth, a receiver supported in the one automobile for receiving continuously on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for improving GPS ranging accuracy and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the highway on the surface of the earth, a processor supported in the one automobile for determining continuously at the one automobile from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, a transceiver for communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of automobiles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one automobile each of the others' of the plurality of automobiles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, a detector supported on the one automobile for detecting multiple objects in all directions relative to the one automobile, a processor supported in the one automobile for analyzing in a neural network all of the kinematic tracking position data, detected objects data and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard and object relative to the one automobile for determining the most effective collision avoidance strategy, determining with a fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic control the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard and object, and generating expert driving response fuzzy logic control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one automobile in a coordinated manner, an attention device for intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard at least to the operator of the one automobile, and an actuator for coordinately operating the control systems of the one automobile in response to the control signals to maneuver the one automobile laterally and longitudinally as necessary in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 56 words

The system of claim 36 further comprising: multiple antennae supported on the extremities of the one automobile for determining the one automobile's attitude relative to a predetermined direction over the earth's surface, and the processor phase comparing the GPS signals simultaneously received at the antennae, analyzing the one's attitude, and attitude compensating the expert driving response.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 36 wherein the attention device is a heads up display in the one automobile for indicating the expert driving response.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 347 words

A GPS-based collision avoidance method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for determining the one's position relative to a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary range correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position relative the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position relative to the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, determining the one's attitude relative to a predetermined direction over the earth's surface using multiple antennae supported on the extremities of the one vehicle coupled to the GPS receiver and phase comparing the GPS signals simultaneously received at the antennae, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing in a neural network the one's attitude, and all of the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one vehicle, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's attitude compensated expert driving response relative to each collision hazard, generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 347 words

A GPS-based collision avoidance method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for determining the one's position relative to a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary range correction signals for correcting propagation delay errors in the GPS ranging signals and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position relative the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position relative to the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, determining the one's attitude relative to a predetermined direction over the earth's surface using multiple antennae supported on the extremities of the one vehicle coupled to the GPS receiver and phase comparing the GPS signals simultaneously received at the antennae, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing in a neural network the one's attitude, and all of the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one vehicle, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's attitude compensated expert driving response relative to each collision hazard, generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of intelligibly indicating a warning further comprises the step of: communicating on a communication link a warning of an imminent collision.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of intelligibly indicating a warning further comprises the step of: flashing exterior warning lights.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of intelligibly indicating a warning further comprises the step of: sounding an alarm audible outside of the automobile.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 318 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for improving GPS ranging accuracy and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one vehicle, determining with a fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 318 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for improving GPS ranging accuracy and pseudolite signals for assistance in making further measurements for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals and of determining the one's position on the surface of the earth, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS, DGPS, and pseudolite signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth with centimeter accuracy, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, analyzing the kinematic tracking positions and status information to identify and evaluate each potential collision hazard relative to the one vehicle, determining with a fuzzy logic associative memory and fuzzy logic algorithms the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 266 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a pathway on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS and DGPS signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard, generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 266 words

A computer controlled collision avoidance and warning method comprising the steps of: receiving continuously from a network of satellites on a first communication link at one of a plurality of vehicles GPS ranging signals for initially accurately determining the one's position on a pathway on a surface of the earth, receiving continuously at the one vehicle on a second communication link from one of a plurality of stations having a known fixed position on the surface of the earth DGPS auxiliary ranging signals for still further improving the accuracy of the GPS ranging signals, determining continuously at the one vehicle from the GPS and DGPS signals the one's kinematic tracking position on the surface of the earth, communicating the one's status information including the kinematic tracking position to each other one of the plurality of vehicles and to the one station or one of a plurality of control centers, and receiving at the one vehicle each of the others' of the plurality of vehicles status information including the others' kinematic tracking position, determining in a fuzzy logic associative memory the one's expert driving response relative to each collision hazard, generating expert driving response control signals for actuating a plurality of control systems of the one vehicle in a coordinated manner, intelligibly indicating a warning of a collision hazard, and coordinately actuating the control systems of the one vehicle with the control signals to operate the one vehicle laterally and longitudinally in real time sufficiently in due time to avoid each collision hazard or, when a collision is unavoidable, then to minimize any injury or damage therefrom.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-11-08	2003-05-10	2003-11-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-11-08	2007-05-10	2007-11-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-11-08	2011-05-10	2011-11-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

GPS vehicle collision avoidance warning and control system and method

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