Vehicle virtual map

• US 10,152,058 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bennie, Brian, Neubecker, Cynthia M., Ignaczak, Brad, Siddiqui, Adil Nizam, Diedrich, Jonathan, Datta Gupta, Somak
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweeney, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US15/332,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20180113459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 701 23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/00184 related to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/028 using a RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes: motor(s), local sensors, processor(s) configured to: generate a virtual map based on the local sensors; receive a plurality of reports from a plurality of external entities, statistically compare the plurality of reports, and identify an outlying report based on the statistical comparison; instruct the external entity responsible for the outlying report to mark future reports; ignore marked reports; generate the virtual map based on unmarked reports; reallocate virtual map processing resources based on unmarked reports.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

steering;

motors;

local sensors; and

processors configured to;

execute, via the motors and the steering, a plurality of driving maneuvers;

generate a virtual map based on the local sensors and a report from an external entity; and

based on the report;

reallocate virtual map processing resources; and

restrict at least one of the plurality of driving maneuvers.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processors are configured to reallocate virtual map processing resources by reducing processing resources dedicated to certain geographical areas of the virtual map, the certain geographical areas being determined based on the report.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the processors are configured to control the motors based on the virtual map.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processors are configured to dedicate first processing resources to generating at least a portion of the virtual map from the local sensors, and, based on receipt of the report, dedicate second processing resources to generating the at least a portion of the virtual map from the local sensors.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the first processing resources exceed the second processing resources.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the processing resources comprise a generation frequency, such that when applying the first processing resources, the processors generate the at least a portion of the virtual map at a first frequency and when applying the second processing resources, the processors generate the at least a portion of the virtual map at a second, lower frequency.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the report comprises coordinates of a zone and a rule of the zone.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the rule of the zone is a maximum acceleration and the processors are configured to control the motors based on the maximum acceleration.

9. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the rule of the zone is a forbidden steering maneuver and the processors are configured to prevent the steering from executing the forbidden steering maneuver when the vehicle is detected to be in the zone.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the processors are configured to:

enable the forbidden steering maneuver when the vehicle is detected to be outside of the zone.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the report comprises a marked unit and wherein the processors are configured to:

detect the mark and based on the detection, ignore the unit.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the report comprises an unmarked unit and wherein the processors are configured to generate the virtual map based on the unmarked unit.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processors are configured to:

receive a plurality of reports from a plurality of external entities, statistically compare the plurality of reports, and identify an outlying report based on the statistical comparison.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processors are configured to:

compare timestamps of the plurality of reports and select reports for the statistical comparison based on the comparison of the timestamps.

15. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the processors are configured to:

instruct the external entity responsible for the outlying report to mark future reports.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the processors are configured to:

ignore marked reports.

17. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the statistical comparison of the plurality of reports comprises statistical comparison of only selected portions of the plurality of reports.

18. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the report comprises a marking frequency and the processors are configured to generate the virtual map based on the marking frequency.

19. A vehicle comprising:

motor(s) steering;

motors;

local sensors; and

processor(s) processors configured to;

execute, via the motors and the steering, a plurality of driving maneuvers;

generate a virtual map based on the local sensors;

receive a plurality of reports from a plurality of external entities, statistically compare the plurality of reports, and identify an outlying report based on the statistical comparison;

instruct the external entity responsible for the outlying report to mark future reports;

ignore marked reports;

generate the virtual map based on unmarked reports; and

restrict at least one of the plurality of driving maneuvers based on one or more of the plurality of reports.

20. A vehicle comprising:

motor(s) steering;

motors;

local sensors; and

processor(s) processors configured to;

execute, via the motors and the steering, a plurality of driving maneuvers;

generate a virtual map based on the local sensors;

receive a plurality of reports from a plurality of external entities, statistically compare the plurality of reports, and identify an outlying report based on the statistical comparison;

instruct the external entity responsible for the outlying report to mark future reports;

ignore marked reports;

generate the virtual map based on unmarked reports;

reallocate virtual map processing resources based on unmarked reports; and

restrict at least one of the plurality of driving maneuvers based on one or more of the plurality of reports.