Method and apparatus for stopping distance selection

• US 10,126,423 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Fowler, Bryan, Murad, Mohannad
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mortell, John
• Application Number:
  US15/677,636
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/802 for monitoring and displaying vehicle exterior blind spot views
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9323 Alternative operation using light waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/58 : Recognition of moving objects or obstacles, e.g. vehicles or pedestrians; Recognition of traffic objects, e.g. traffic signs, traffic lights or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 : for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/168 : Driving aids for parking, e.g. acoustic or visual feedback on parking space
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 : for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A method and apparatus for stopping distance selection are provided. The method includes displaying an image from a camera facing an area around a vehicle, detecting a selection of an object in the image, determining a stopping distance from the selected object, and performing an operation if the vehicle is within of a threshold distance of the stopping distance.

Claims

1. A method for setting stopping distance, the method comprising:

displaying, on a display, an image from a camera facing an area around a vehicle;

detecting a user input to select an object in the displayed image;

determining a stopping distance from the selected object, the stopping distance corresponding to a pre-stored value or an input received from an operator of the vehicle;

comparing a distance to the selected object and the stopping distance, the distance to the selected object being determined from information provided by an object detection sensor; and

based on the comparing, performing an operation if the vehicle is within a threshold distance of the stopping distance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the stopping distance comprises receiving an input including the stopping distance from the operator of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the receiving the input comprises receiving the input via a touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the receiving the input via the touch screen display comprises displaying a slider configured to adjust the stopping distance and receiving a touch input at the slider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising highlighting the selected object to visually distinguish a portion of the image including the selected object from another portion of the image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the operation if the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance comprises outputting a sound alerting the operator of the vehicle or a visual alert to the operator of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the operation if the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance comprises engaging a brake of the vehicle or stopping the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing the operation if the vehicle is within of a threshold distance of the stopping distance comprises providing haptic feedback to the operator of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising highlighting a plurality of objects in the image,

wherein the detecting the selection of the object in the image comprises detecting the selection of the object from among the plurality of highlighted objects in the image.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

11. An apparatus for setting stopping distance, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to;

display, on a display, an image from a camera facing an area around a vehicle;

detect a user input to select an object in the displayed image;

determine a stopping distance from the selected object, the stopping distance corresponding to a pre-stored value or an input received from an operator of the vehicle;

compare a distance to the selected object and the stopping distance, the distance to the selected object being determined from information provided by an object detection sensor; and

based on the comparing, perform an operation if the vehicle is within a threshold distance of the stopping distance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the stopping distance by receiving an input including the stopping distance from the operator of the vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to receive the input via a touch screen display.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to receive the input via a displayed slider configured to adjust the stopping distance according to a touch input at the slider.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to highlight the selected object to visually distinguish a portion of the image including the selected object from another portion of the image.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the operation if the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance by outputting a sound alerting the operator of the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the operation if the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance by providing haptic feedback to the operator of the vehicle or a visual alert to the operator of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to perform the operation if the vehicle is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance by engaging a brake of the vehicle, stopping the vehicle or controlling the vehicle to move to distance that is within the threshold distance of the stopping distance.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to highlight a plurality of objects in the image, and

wherein the computer executable instructions cause the at least one processor to detect the selection of the object in the image from among the plurality of highlighted objects in the image.

20. An apparatus for setting stopping distance, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory comprising computer executable instructions; and

at least one processor configured to read and execute the computer executable instructions, the computer executable instructions causing the at least one processor to;

receive an image from a camera facing an area around a vehicle;

display, on a display, the image representing the area around a vehicle;

detect a user input to select an object in the displayed image representing the area around a vehicle;

set a stopping distance between the selected object and the vehicle based on an input received via a touchscreen from an operator of the vehicle;

compare a distance to the selected object and the stopping distance, the distance to the selected object being determined from information provided by an object detection sensor; and

send the set stopping distance to the vehicle to perform an operation if the vehicle is within a threshold distance of the stopping distance.