Collision warning system and method for a vehicle

1 . A collision warning system for a host vehicle comprising:

a wireless communication system configured to receive data transmissions from remote vehicles, each data transmission including an identification and current positional information of a transmitting remote vehicle; and

an electronic controller configured to

receive data transmissions from a first remote vehicle;

determine a travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle based on positional information included in the received data transmissions from the first remote vehicle;

determine whether the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle;

receive data transmissions from a second remote vehicle;

determine whether the second remote vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle upon determining that the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle;

prevent generation of a warning upon determining that the second remote vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle;

determine whether the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on an intersecting path upon determining that the second remote vehicle is not on the travel path of the first remote vehicle; and

generate a warning upon determining that the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on the intersecting path,

each of the host vehicle, the first remote vehicle, and the second remote being a different vehicle.

2 . The collision warning system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to determine the travel path of the host vehicle upon receiving a predetermined number of data transmissions from the first remote vehicle.

3 . The collision warning system according to claim 2 , wherein

the predetermined number of data transmissions is based on a steering wheel angle of the first remote vehicle, the predetermined number of data transmissions increasing with an increase in the steering wheel angle.

4 . The collision warning system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is configured to determine whether the second remote vehicle is on the travel path after determining that the second remote vehicle is ahead of the host vehicle and that the second remote vehicle is moving toward the host vehicle.

5 . The collision warning system according to claim 1 , wherein

the controller is further configured to determine the travel path of the host vehicle without using map data from a navigation system of the host vehicle.

6 . A collision warning method for a host vehicle comprising:

receiving a data transmission from a first remote vehicle, the data transmission of the first remote vehicle including an identification of the first remote vehicle and current positional information of the first remote vehicle;

determining a travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle based on the received positional information from the first remote vehicle;

determining whether the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle;

setting the travel path of the first remote vehicle as the travel path of the host vehicle upon determining the host vehicle to be on the travel path of the first remote vehicle;

receiving a data transmission from a second remote vehicle, the data transmission of the second remote vehicle including an identification of the second remote vehicle and current positional information of the second remote vehicle;

determining whether the second remote vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle upon determining that the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle;

preventing generation of a warning upon determining that the second remote vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle;

determining whether the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on an intersecting path; and

generating the warning upon determining that the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on the intersecting path,

each of the host vehicle, the first remote vehicle, and the second remote being a different vehicle.

7 . The collision warning method according to claim 6 , wherein

the travel path of the host vehicle is determined upon receiving a predetermined number of data transmissions from the first remote vehicle.

8 . The collision warning method according to claim 7 , wherein

the predetermined number of data transmissions is based on a steering wheel angle of the first remote vehicle, the predetermined number of data transmissions increasing with an increase in the steering wheel angle.

9 . The collision warning method according to claim 6 , wherein

determining that the second remote vehicle is ahead of the host vehicle and that the second remote vehicle is moving toward the host vehicle prior to determining whether the second remote vehicle is on the travel path of the host vehicle.

10 . The collision warning method according to claim 7 , wherein

the determining whether the host vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle includes

initiating a first count;

obtaining positional information of the first remote vehicle from the data transmission corresponding to a first count number and from the data transmission corresponding to the first count number increased by one; and

determining a first angle and a second angle between the first remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutively received data transmissions from the first remote vehicle.

11 . The collision warning method according to claim 10 , further comprising

increasing the first count number by one when at least one of the first angle and the second angle is greater than ninety degrees;

obtaining positional information of the first remote vehicle from the data transmission corresponding to the increased first count number and from the data transmission corresponding to the increased first count number increased by one;

determining the first angle and the second angle between the first remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutively received data transmissions from the first remote vehicle.

12 . The collision warning method according to claim 10 , further comprising

determining a distance between the host vehicle and a path defined by the positional information from the two consecutively received data transmissions from the first remote vehicle in a width direction of a lane.

13 . The collision warning method according to claim 12 , wherein

the host vehicle is determined to be on the travel path when the distance is less than a first predetermined distance.

14 . The collision warning method according to claim 13 , wherein

setting a second count number for the second remote vehicle;

obtaining the positional information of the second remote vehicle from the data transmission received from the second remote vehicle;

comparing the positional information received from the second remote vehicle to the positional information of the traveling path corresponding to the second count number and corresponding to the second count number decreased by one; and

determining the first angle and the second angle between the second remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutive data points of the travel path.

15 . The collision warning method according to claim 14 , further comprising

decreasing the second count number by one when at least one of the first angle and the second angle is greater than ninety degrees;

updating the positional information of the second remote vehicle from the data transmission received from the second remote vehicle;

comparing the updated positional information of the second remote vehicle to the positional information of the travel path corresponding to the decreased second count number and from the data transmission corresponding to the decreased second count number decreased by one; and

determining the first angle and the second angle between the second remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutive data points of the travel path.

16 . The collision warning method according to claim 15 , further comprising

determining a distance between the second remote vehicle and the path defined by the positional information from the two consecutively received data transmissions from the second remote vehicle in a width direction of a first lane.

17 . The collision warning method according to claim 16 , wherein

determining the second remote vehicle is on the travel path of the host vehicle when the distance is between a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance.

18 . The collision warning method according to claim 17 , wherein

the distance being between a first predetermined distance and a second predetermined distance indicates the second remote vehicle is in a second lane adjacent a first lane in which the host vehicle is traveling.

19 . The collision warning method according to claim 17 , wherein

the second count number is set as the predetermined number of data transmissions from the first remote vehicle.

20 . A collision warning method for a host vehicle comprising:

receiving a data transmission from a first remote vehicle, the data transmission of the first remote vehicle including an identification of the first remote vehicle and current positional information of the first remote vehicle;

determining a travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle based on the received positional information from the first remote vehicle, the travel path of the first remote vehicle being determined without using map data from a navigation system of the host vehicle;

determining whether the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle without using the map data from the navigation system of the host vehicle;

setting the travel path of the first remote vehicle as the travel path of the host vehicle upon determining the host vehicle to be on the travel path of the first remote vehicle;

receiving a data transmission from a second remote vehicle, the data transmission of the second remote vehicle including an identification of the second remote vehicle and current positional information of the second remote vehicle;

determining whether the second remote vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle upon determining that the host vehicle is on the travel path traveled by the first remote vehicle;

preventing generation of a warning upon determining that the second remote vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle;

determining whether the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on an intersecting path; and

generating the warning upon determining that the host vehicle and the second remote vehicle are on the intersecting path,

each of the host vehicle, the first remote vehicle, and the second remote being a different vehicle,

the determining whether the host vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle including

initiating a first count;

obtaining positional information of the first remote vehicle from the data transmission corresponding to a first count number and from the data transmission corresponding to the first count number increased by one; and

determining a first angle and a second angle between the first remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutively received data transmissions from the first remote vehicle,

the determining whether the second vehicle is on the travel path of the first remote vehicle including

initiating a second count;

obtaining positional information of the second remote vehicle from the data transmission received from the second remote vehicle,

comparing the positional information received from the second remote vehicle to the positional information of the traveling path corresponding to the second count number and corresponding to the second count number decreased by one; and

determining a first angle and a second angle between the second remote vehicle and the host vehicle based on the positional information from the two consecutive data points of the travel path.