Steering wheel actuation

• US 10,267,911 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Talamonti, Walter Joseph, Tijerina, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M
• Application Number:
  US15/608,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20180286242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/161 Explanation of functions, e.g. instructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• 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: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 : Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• 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: G02B 27/01 : Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096822 : where the segments of the route are transmitted to the vehicle at different locations and times
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 : Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 : event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 : Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 : Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A computing device in a vehicle can be programmed to determine a time to a collision and a field of safe travel, select one of a first and a second haptic output based on (a) the field of safe travel and (b) a predetermined time threshold. The computing device can deliver the first haptic output via a steering wheel when the time to collision is greater than the predetermined time threshold and deliver the second haptic output via the steering wheel when the time to collision is less than or equal to the predetermined time threshold.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining a time to a collision and a field of safe travel;

selecting one of a first and a second haptic output based on (a) the field of safe travel and (b) a predetermined time threshold;

delivering the first haptic output via a steering wheel when the time to collision is greater than the predetermined time threshold; and

delivering the second haptic output via the steering wheel when the time to collision is less than or equal to the predetermined time threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first haptic output is a low urgency haptic output and the second haptic output is a high urgency haptic output.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising estimating an occupant reaction time, wherein the time to the collision includes the estimated occupant reaction time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second haptic outputs are delivered as rotational force on the steering wheel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second haptic outputs include a pattern that is one of a plurality of different patterns, each based on perceived urgency.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the time to collision to an occupant.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the field of safe travel to an occupant.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the field of safe travel based on virtual steerable path polynomials.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the field of safe travel including determining a lane change maneuver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined time threshold is three seconds.

11. An apparatus, comprising a computer, programmed to:

determine a time to a collision and a field of safe travel;

select one of a first and a second haptic output based on (a) the field of safe travel and (b) a predetermined time threshold;

deliver the first haptic output via a steering wheel when the time to collision is greater than the predetermined time threshold; and

deliver the second haptic output via the steering wheel when the time to collision is less than or equal to the predetermined time threshold.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first haptic output is a low urgency haptic output and the second haptic output is a high urgency haptic output.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, the computer programmed to estimate an occupant reaction time, wherein the time to the collision includes the estimated occupant reaction time.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, the computer programmed to deliver the first and second haptic outputs as rotational force on the steering wheel.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first and second haptic outputs include a pattern that is one of a plurality of different patterns based on the time to collision.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, the computer programmed to display the time to collision to an occupant.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, the computer programmed to display the field of safe travel to an occupant.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, the computer programmed to determine the field of safe travel based on virtual steerable path polynomials.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising determining the field of safe travel including a lane change maneuver.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the predetermined time threshold is three seconds.