Apparatus for preventing pedestrian collision accident, system having the same, and method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for preventing a pedestrian collision accident, a system having the same, and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a pedestrian sensing unit that senses a pedestrian moving into a dangerous area and calculates velocity and direction information of the pedestrian. A communication unit transmits the velocity and direction information of the pedestrian to a surrounding vehicle. A time-to-collision (TTC) calculating unit calculates a TTC using velocity and direction information of a subject vehicle and second velocity and direction information of the pedestrian, when the TTC calculating unit receives the second velocity and direction information of the pedestrian from another vehicle. A controller outputs based on the TTC a warning to a driver of the subject vehicle or the pedestrian.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of preventing a pedestrian collision accident, comprising:
 receiving, by a controller, velocity and direction information of a pedestrian from a vehicle parked or stopped along a street;   calculating, by the controller, a time to collision (TTC) by using velocity and direction information of a subject vehicle, which is traveling, and the velocity and direction information of the pedestrian; and   transmitting, by the controller, a command for warning the pedestrian to the vehicle parked or stopped along the street or warning a driver of the subject vehicle, based on the time to collision (TTC).   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 operating, by the controller, the subject vehicle to automatically decelerate or stop.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the operating of the subject vehicle to automatically decelerate or stop includes:
 operating, by the controller, a brake device of the subject vehicle to forcibly decelerate or stop the subject vehicle, when the time to collision (TTC) is less than a first threshold value.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the transmitting of the command for warning the pedestrian to the vehicle parked or stopped along the street or the warning of the driver of the subject vehicle, based on the time to collision (TTC) includes:
 warning, by the controller, the driver of the subject vehicle such that the driver drives the subject vehicle at a reduced speed, when the time to collision (TTC) is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and is less than a second threshold value.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the transmitting of the command for warning the pedestrian to the vehicle parked or stopped along the street or the warning of the driver of the subject vehicle, based on the time to collision (TTC) further includes:
 requesting, by the controller, the parked or stopped vehicle to warn the pedestrian, when the time to collision (TTC) is equal to or greater than the second threshold value and is less than a third threshold value.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 transmitting, by the controller, the command for warning the pedestrian by simultaneously operating a horn and an emergency lamp, when the time to collision (TTC) is less than the first threshold value; and   transmitting, by the controller, the command for warning the pedestrian by operating the horn or the emergency lamp, when the time to collision (TTC) is equal to or greater than the first threshold value and is less than the third threshold value, when the command for warning the pedestrian is transmitted to the vehicle parked or stopped along the street.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the calculating of the time to collision (TTC) includes:
 calculating, by the controller, a moving direction and a velocity vector of the pedestrian;   calculating, by the controller, a moving direction and a velocity vector of the subject vehicle;   calculating, by the controller, an interconnecting point between the velocity vector of the pedestrian and the velocity vector of the subject vehicle; and   calculating, by the controller, a time, in which the subject vehicle arrives at the interconnecting point, as the time to collision (TTC).