Echelon parking

• US 10,246,086 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tijerina, Louis, Shutko, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dager, Jonathan M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, Garrett F
• Application Number:
  US15/259,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20180065625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/08 Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/24 Direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/06 Automatic manoeuvring for parking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 : from vehicle to occupant
• 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: B60W 60/0061 : Aborting handover process
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/007 : Emergency override Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 : with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 : characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

Upon determining that one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation has occurred, certain actions are taken by an autonomously operating vehicle. An appropriate road-side location for parking is identified. The vehicle is maneuvered to the appropriate road side location. The vehicle is oriented to a specified acute angle to an adjacent traffic lane.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

determine when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;

identify an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane; and

initiate operation in an autonomous mode only in a predetermined geographic area and maneuver the vehicle to park at the orientation.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an initial specified acute angle is 45°

.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the angle is reduced to accommodate a shoulder obstacle.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver condition is a lack of response from a driver responsive to a request initiated by the computing device.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode upon exiting the predetermined geographic area.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to return operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise an instruction to return operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the subsystem fault may include any one of a compromised steering system, a compromised drive motor, a compromised brake system, and a compromised tire and a vehicle impact.

10. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

determining when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;

identifying an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane; and

initiating operation in an autonomous mode only in a predetermined geographic area and maneuvering the vehicle to park at the orientation.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein an initial specified acute angle is 45°

.

12. A system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the angle is reduced to accommodate a shoulder obstacle.

13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the driver condition is a lack of response from a driver responsive to a request initiated by the computing device.

14. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises a step of prompting a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode upon exiting the predetermined geographic area.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the method further comprises a step of returning operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

16. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the method further comprises a step of prompting a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the method further comprises a step of returning operation to the autonomous mode after a second period of time of operation in the manual driving mode.

18. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the subsystem fault may include any one of a compromised steering system, a compromised drive motor, a compromised brake system, and a compromised tire and a vehicle impact.

19. A system, comprising a computing device that includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

determine when one of a driver condition and a subsystem fault preventing continued operation on a roadway occurs;

identify an orientation for parking the vehicle at a specified acute angle relative to an adjacent traffic lane;

maneuver the vehicle to park at the orientation; and

prompt a driver to operate the vehicle in a manual driving mode after a first predetermined period of time of operation in an autonomous mode.