Vehicle technologies for automated turn signaling

• US 10,406,972 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2018
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tesla Inc.
• Inventors: Haight, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mortell, John F
• Application Number:
  US15/896,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20180244195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/862 Combination of radar systems with sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• 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: G06V 20/56 exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/588 Recognition of the road, e.g. of lane markings; Recognition of the vehicle driving pattern in relation to the road
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

This disclosure discloses various vehicle technologies for automatically activating a turn signal when a vehicle is turning or changing lanes based on analysis of data, which can include data from an image capture device, radar, a steering angle sensor, and a ultrasonic sensor. This disclosure also contemplates that a decision to automatically activate a turn signal in a vehicle that is turning or changing lanes may take into account whether other vehicles or pedestrians are in vicinity thereof and whether those other vehicles or pedestrians would benefit from the turn signal being activated.

Claims

1. A method of automatically activating a turn signal source in a vehicle, the method comprising:

in response to determining, via a processor, that a first vehicle is not going to turn or leave a lane based on data from a first data source of the first vehicle, sensing and determining, via the processor, whether a steering action is being applied to the first vehicle based on data from a second data source of the first vehicle, the second data source including a steering angle sensor;

in direct response to the sensing and the determining that the steering action is being applied to the first vehicle, determining, via the processor, whether a second vehicle is sufficiently proximate to the first vehicle based on data from a third data source of the first vehicle and data from a fourth data source of the first vehicle; and

in response to determining that the second vehicle is sufficiently proximate to the first vehicle, activating, via the processor, a turn signal source of the first vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data source includes an image capture device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second data source includes a steering angle sensor.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the third data source includes a radar.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the fourth data source includes an ultrasonic sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data source includes a side camera.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing an analysis of the data from the first data source over an analysis of the data from at least one of the second data source, the third data source, or the fourth data source in response to identifying, via the processor, a conflict between the analysis of the data from the first data source and the analysis of the data from at least one of the second data source, the third data source, or the fourth data source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the first data source includes an image capture device;

the second data source includes a steering angle sensor;

the third data source includes a radar; and

the fourth data source includes an ultrasonic sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prioritizing an analysis of the data from the third data source over an analysis of the data from at least one of the first data source, the second data source, or the fourth data source in response to identifying, via the processor, a conflict between the analysis of the data from the first data source and the analysis of the data from at least one of the first data source, the second data source, or the fourth data source.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

the first data source includes an image capture device;

the second data source includes a steering angle sensor;

the third data source includes a radar; and

the fourth data source includes an ultrasonic sensor.

11. A method of automated turn signaling, the method comprising:

in response to determining, via a processor, that a vehicle is not about to cross a lane line or turn based on a set of data from an image capture device, determining, via the processor, whether a steering angle value from a steering angle sensor of the vehicle satisfies a first threshold value stored in the memory, wherein the vehicle includes the processor, the memory, the image capture device, and a turn signal source;

in response to determining that the steering angle satisfies the first threshold, determining whether the steering angle satisfies a second threshold stored in the memory using the steering angle sensor and determining whether a second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle using data from other, different sensors; and

in response to determining that the steering angles satisfies the second threshold and that the second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle, activating, via the processor, the turn signal.

12. The method of claims 11, wherein the activating includes activating immediately before the first vehicle crosses the lane line or effects the turn.

13. The method of claims 11, wherein the activating includes activating during the first vehicle crossing the lane line or effecting the turn.

14. The method of claims 11, wherein the activating includes activating immediately after the first vehicle crossed the lane line or effects the turn.

15. The method of claims 11, wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle, and further comprising:

determining, via the processor, that a second vehicle is present within a predetermined distance from the first vehicle, wherein the activating is based on the second vehicle being present within the predetermined distance from the first vehicle.

16. A non-transitive storage device having stored therein a set of processor executable instructions which, when executed by an electronic processing system, cause the electronic processing system to:

determine, based on a first set of data received from an image capture device of a first vehicle, that the first vehicle is not going to turn or leave a lane;

in direct response to determining that the first vehicle is not going to turn or leave a lane, sensing a steering angle of the first vehicle using a steering angle sensor and determining whether a steering action is being applied;

in response to determining that the steering action is being applied, determine whether a second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle based on a second set of data received from a reflective wave detector;

n response to determining that the second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle, activate a turn signal source of the first vehicle.

17. A motor vehicle including

an electronic processing system comprising a processor and a non-transitive storage device;

an image capture device;

a steering angle sensor; and

a turn signal source,

wherein the non-transitive storage device includes processor executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the electronic processing system to;

in direct response to determining that the vehicle is not going to turn or leave a lane based on a first set of data from the image capture device, sense and determine whether a steering action is being applied based on a second set of data from the steering angle sensor,

in response to determining that the steering action is being applied, determine from a third set of data from a third data source whether a second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle, and

in response to determining that the second vehicle is sufficiently proximate the first vehicle, activate the turn signal source.

18. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein, when executed by the processor, the processor executable instructions cause the electronic processing system to determine an approximate location of a second vehicle relative to the first vehicle based on data from at least one of the ultrasonic sensor or the radar.

19. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the storage device stores a value range,

the steering angle sensor is configured to output a steering angle value when the vehicle is in motion,

to determine that the vehicle will leave a lane line or turn when the steering angle value is within the value range.

20. The motor vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

the memory storage device stores a threshold value for a steering angle,

the steering angle sensor is configured to output a steering angle value when the vehicle is in motion, and

to determine that the vehicle will leave a lane line or turn when the steering angle value is above the threshold value stored in memory.

21. A method comprising:

in response to determining, via a processor, that a first vehicle is going to turn or leave a lane based on data from a first data source of the first vehicle, determining, via the processor, whether a corrective action is not being applied to the first vehicle based on data from a second data source of the first vehicle;

in response to the determining that the corrective action is not being applied to the first vehicle, not activating, via the processor, a turn signal source of the first vehicle.