System and method for assisting navigation of vehicle through traffic

• US 10,144,408 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Original Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Inventors: Theodosis, Paul Alan, Xie, Kenneth X.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIE, WAE LENNY
• Application Number:
  US15/418,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36
• 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 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/597 Recognising the driver's state or behaviour, e.g. attention or drowsiness
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096 provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for assisting vehicular navigation through traffic. In one example, while a first vehicle is stopped, first data is received from a first set of sensors mounted on the first vehicle, the first data indicative of a state of traffic surrounding the first vehicle, and second data is received from a second set of sensors mounted on the first vehicle, the second data indicative of a state of attention of a driver of the first vehicle. Whether the first data and the second data satisfy indication-generation criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the second data indicates that the driver is distracted, is determined. In accordance with a determination that the first data and the second data satisfy the indication-generation criteria, the driver of the first vehicle is provided an indication to proceed into a region of a road.

Claims

1. A vehicular navigation assistance system of a vehicle comprising:

a first set of sensors;

a second set of sensors

one or more processors; and

a memory including instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving first data from the first set of sensors mounted on the vehicle, the first data indicative of a state of traffic surrounding the vehicle;

receiving second data from the second set of sensors mounted on the vehicle, the second data indicative of a state of attention of a driver of the vehicle, wherein the second set of sensors include at least one camera and the second set of data include image data of the driver;

determining whether the first data and the second data satisfy indication-generation criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the second data indicates that the driver is distracted, wherein the driver is determined to be distracted if the image data of the driver indicates that the driver is not visually engaged with the surrounding traffic conditions; and

in response to a determination that the first data and the second data satisfy the indication-generation criteria, providing the driver of the vehicle with an indication to proceed into a region of a road.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of sensors comprises a radar sensor, and

the first data comprises radar information about movement of other vehicles surrounding the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of sensors comprises a camera, and

the first data comprises image information about a state of a traffic indicator in front of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first data indicates that a traffic indicator in front of the vehicle changes indication.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first data indicates that other vehicles surrounding the vehicle have started moving into the region in the road.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first data indicates that the region in the road is clear of objects.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when a signal on the first vehicle for entering the region in the road is activated, and the first data indicates that the region in the road is clear of objects.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the first data indicates that the region in the road will be clear of objects for greater than a predetermined time period.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving third data indicative of a state of the region of the road, independent of a state of traffic in the region of the road, and the indication-generation criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when the state of the region of the road corresponds to a state that allows for the vehicle to proceed into the region of the road.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the state of the region of the road is indicative of a rule of traffic in the region of the road.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the state of the region of the road is predetermined and received from a memory in the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the state of the region of the road is received from a GPS receiver in the vehicle.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a vehicle, cause the one or more processors to perform a method of vehicular navigation comprising the steps of:

receiving first data from a first set of sensors mounted on the vehicle, the first data indicative of a state of traffic surrounding the vehicle;

receiving second data from a second set of sensors mounted on the vehicle, the second data indicative of a state of attention of a driver of the vehicle, wherein the second set of data include image data of the driver;

determining whether the first data and the second data satisfy indication-generation criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the second data indicates that the driver is distracted, wherein the driver is determined to be distracted if the image data of the driver indicates that the driver is not visually engaged with the surrounding traffic conditions; and

in response to a determination that the first data and the second data satisfy the indication-generation criteria, providing the driver of the first vehicle with an indication to proceed into a region of a road.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a first set of sensors;

a second set of sensors, wherein the second set of sensors include at least one camera;

an indicator system;

one or more processors coupled to the first set of sensors, the second set of sensors and the indicator system; and

a memory including instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising the steps of;

receiving first data from the first set of sensors, the first data indicative of a state of traffic surrounding the vehicle;

receiving second data from the second set of sensors, the second data includes image data of the driver and is indicative of a state of attention of a driver of the vehicle;

determining whether the first data and the second data satisfy indication-generation criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the second data indicates that the driver is distracted, wherein the driver is determined to be distracted if the image data of the driver indicates that the driver is not visually engaged with the surrounding traffic conditions; and

in response to a determination that the first data and the second data satisfy the indication-generation criteria, providing, via the indicator system, the driver of the vehicle with an indication to proceed into a region of a road.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

in accordance with the determination that the first data and the second data satisfy the indication-generation criteria, automatically moving the first vehicle into the region of the road.

16. The first vehicle of claim 15, wherein automatically proceeding into the region of the road comprises the steps of automatically disengaging brakes of the first vehicle, automatically engaging a drive system of the first vehicle, and automatically adjusting a steering angle of the first vehicle to automatically move the first vehicle at a calculated speed and direction into the region of the road.