Collison warning system

1. A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

receive a plurality of images from an image capture device;

determine at least one collision parameter based on an indicator of a relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object, wherein the indicator of the relative acceleration is determined based on the plurality of images;

compare the at least one collision parameter with a predetermined threshold; and

cause a response in the system if the comparison between the at least one collision parameter and the predetermined threshold indicates a possible collision between the vehicle and the object.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising the image capture device configured to acquire image data at predetermined time intervals to provide the plurality of images.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one collision parameter includes at least one value indicative of a time to collision (TTC).

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one value indicative of a time to collision is determined based on analysis of the plurality of images, the analysis including determining a ratio between respective dimensions of a feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one value indicative of a time to collision is determined based on a time derivative of a momentary TTC, wherein the momentary TTC assumes the relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object is zero.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one value indicative of a time to collision is determined based on a relative scale of the object in the plurality of images.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the object includes another vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the response includes at least one of: a visual warning, an audible warning, a tactile alarm for a driver of the vehicle, and an application of the vehicle's brakes.

9. A vehicle, comprising:

a body;

an image capture device having at least one field of view relative to an exterior of the body, the image capture device configured to acquire image data at time intervals to provide a plurality of images;

at least one processing device configured to:

determine at least one collision parameter based on an indicator of a relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object, wherein the indicator of the relative acceleration is determined based on the plurality of images;

compare the at least one collision parameter with a predetermined threshold; and

cause a response in the system if the comparison between the at least one collision parameter and the predetermined threshold indicates a possible collision between the vehicle and the object.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the at least one collision parameter includes at least one value indicative of a time to collision (TTC).

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to generate signals responsive to at least one of an operation of the vehicle's brakes and an operation of the vehicle's gas pedal, and wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to determine the at least one value indicative of the TTC based on information from the at least one sensor.

12. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the response includes at least one of: a tactile alarm to a driver of the vehicle, activation of at least one braking device, activation of an audible alarm, and activation of a visual alarm.

13. A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

receive from an image capture device a plurality of images acquired of the object;

determine, based on the plurality of images of the object, a possible collision between the vehicle and the object, when there is non-zero relative acceleration between the object and the vehicle; and

cause a collision avoidance response at a time T different from a time T at which an instantaneous relative velocity between the vehicle and the object and a distance between the vehicle and the object together correspond to a collision warning threshold;

wherein the determination of the possible collision is based on a determination of at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration between the vehicle object; and

wherein the at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration is determined based a ratio between respective dimensions of a feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

14. The system of claim 13 , further including the image capture device, the image capture device configured to acquire image data and generate the plurality of images.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration is determined based on a time derivative of a variable associated with a ratio between respective dimensions of the feature of the object in different images of the plurality of images.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration is determined based on a relative scale of the object in the plurality of images.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration is derived from the plurality of images.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the response includes at least one of: a visual warning, an audible warning, a tactile alarm for a driver of the vehicle, and an application of the vehicle's brakes.

19. A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

receive from an image capture device a plurality of images acquired of the object;

determine, based on the plurality of images of the object, a possible collision between the vehicle and the object, when there is non-zero relative acceleration between the object and the vehicle; and

cause a collision avoidance response at a time T different from time T′ at which an instantaneous relative velocity between the vehicle and the object and a distance between the vehicle and the object together correspond to a collision warning threshold;

wherein for a scenario in which the collision threshold equals 2.8 seconds and the following vehicle is traveling at an initial velocity of 70 kmph at a distance of 50 meters behind the leading vehicle, which is also traveling at an initial velocity of 70 kmph, and at time T i , the leading vehicle begins to decelerate at a constant deceleration rate of 7.5 m/s 2 while the following vehicle continues at a constant velocity of 70 kmph, the at least one processing device is configured such that the warning of a possible collision will be issued at the time T, which occurs about 0.85 seconds after time T i .

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the time T occurs about 1.85 seconds after time T i .

21. A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

receive from an image capture device a plurality of images acquired of the object;

determine, based on the plurality of images of the object, a possible collision between the vehicle and the object, when there is non-zero relative acceleration between the object and the vehicle; and

cause a collision avoidance response at a time T different from a time T′ at which an instantaneous relative velocity between the vehicle and the object and a distance between the vehicle and the object together correspond to a collision warning threshold;

wherein the determination of the possible collision is based on a determination of at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration between the vehicle and the object; and

wherein the at least one value indicative of the relative acceleration is determined based on the plurality of images.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein time T is at least 1 second earlier than time T′.

23. A system for providing an indication of a possible collision between a vehicle and an object, the system comprising:

at least one processing device configured to:

receive from an image capture device a plurality of images acquired of the object;

determine, based on the plurality of images of the object, a possible collision between the vehicle and the object, when there is non-zero relative acceleration between the object and the vehicle, wherein the determination of a possible collision between the vehicle and the object includes determining whether information obtained from the plurality of images, including effects of the non-zero relative acceleration, indicates that the possible collision between the vehicle and the object will occur at or within a collision warning threshold of at least 2.0 seconds; and

account for the non-zero relative acceleration effects from the plurality of images by causing a collision avoidance response at a time T, at which an instantaneous relative velocity between the vehicle and the object at time T and a distance between the vehicle and the object at time T do not correspond to the collision warning threshold, wherein time T is earlier than a time T at which the instantaneous relative velocity between the vehicle and the object and the distance between the vehicle and the object together correspond to the collision warning threshold.