Advanced autonomous vehicle tutorial

• US 10,061,315 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yako, Sarra Awad, Tellis, Levasseur, Semanson, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonucci, Anne Marie
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAROSE, RENEE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US15/257,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0074 Driver shifts control to the controller, e.g. by pressing a button
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a user interface, an autonomous mode controller, and a processor. The autonomous mode controller controls a host vehicle in a partially autonomous mode. The processor receives a first user input requesting the partially autonomous mode and command the user interface to present a tutorial associated with the partially autonomous mode. The processor receives a second user input indicating that a driver completed the tutorial and activates the partially autonomous mode in response to receiving the second user input.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a user interface;

an autonomous mode controller programmed to control a host vehicle in a partially autonomous mode; and

a processor programmed to receive a first user input requesting the partially autonomous mode, command the user interface to present a tutorial associated with the partially autonomous mode, receive a second user input indicating that a driver completed the tutorial, and activate the partially autonomous mode in response to receiving the second user input,

wherein the processor is programmed to temporarily disable the partially autonomous mode after receiving the first user input and before commanding the user interface to present the tutorial.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein activating the partially autonomous mode includes outputting an autonomous activation signal to the autonomous mode controller.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to identify the driver of the host vehicle.

4. The vehicle system of claim 3, wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial to the driver after identifying the driver.

5. The vehicle system of claim 4, wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial based at least in part on whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial.

6. The vehicle system of claim 5, wherein the processor is programmed to query a remote server to determine whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmed to receive the first user input and the second user input via the user interface.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a first user input requesting that a host vehicle operates in a partially autonomous mode;

temporarily disabling, by the processor, the partially autonomous mode after receiving the first user input and before commanding a user interface to present a tutorial associated with the partially autonomous mode;

commanding, by the processor, the user interface to present the tutorial;

receiving, at the processor, a second user input indicating that a driver completed the tutorial; and

activating, by the processor, the partially autonomous mode in response to receiving the second user input.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein activating the partially autonomous mode includes outputting an autonomous activation signal to an autonomous mode controller.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising identifying the driver of the host vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial to the driver after identifying the driver.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial includes determining whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial includes querying a remote server and determining whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial based at least in part on a response received from the remote server.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first user input and the second user input are received via a user interface located in the host vehicle.

15. A vehicle system comprising:

a user interface;

an autonomous mode controller programmed to control a host vehicle in a partially autonomous mode; and

a processor programmed to receive a first user input requesting the partially autonomous mode, temporarily disable the partially autonomous mode in response to receiving the first user input;

command the user interface to present a tutorial associated with the partially autonomous mode, receive a second user input indicating that a driver completed the tutorial, and activate the partially autonomous mode in response to receiving the second user input by outputting an autonomous activation signal to the autonomous mode controller.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15, wherein the processor is programmed to identify the driver of the host vehicle.

17. The vehicle system of claim 16, wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial to the driver after identifying the driver.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, wherein the processor is programmed to determine whether to command the user interface to present the tutorial based at least in part on whether the driver has previously completed the tutorial.