Vehicle control device mounted on vehicle and method for controlling the vehicle

• US 10,684,620 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Park, Minjae, Park, Jiyeong, Lyu, Hyunsun
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara J
• Application Number:
  US15/826,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20190011914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0881 Seat occupation; Driver or passenger presence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0096 Control during transition between modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• 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: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device provided in a vehicle and a method of controlling the vehicle. A vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sensing unit configured to sense a driver'"'"'s state, and a processor configured to decide a first time required for a vehicle currently traveling in an autonomous driving mode to reach a point where the vehicle is to be switched to a manual driving mode, and decide a second time required for the driver to be ready to perform manual driving based on the driver'"'"'s state, wherein the processor outputs notification information such that the second time is shortened when the second time is longer than the first time.

Claims

1. A control device for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor configured to sense a first state of a driver of the vehicle and a state of a passenger of the vehicle;

at least one processor; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

determining that the vehicle is operating in an autonomous driving mode;

based on the determination that the vehicle is operating in the autonomous driving mode, determining a first time corresponding to an estimated travel time between a current location of the vehicle to a manual driving section where the vehicle is to be switched to a manual driving mode;

determining, based on the first state of the driver, a second time corresponding to an estimated preparation time needed by the driver to prepare to manually drive the vehicle;

determining whether the second time is greater than the first time;

based on the determination that the second time is less than or equal to the first time, updating the first state of the driver; and

based on the determination that the second time is greater than the first time, performing an action associated with the vehicle,

wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises;

determining that a passenger is present;

based on the determination that a passenger is present, outputting, to the passenger,

a third notification configured to decrease the second time;

determining a third time corresponding to an estimated preparation time needed by the passenger to prepare to manually drive the vehicle;

determining that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, (ii) the third time is less than or equal to the first time, and (iii) the passenger is ready to manually drive the vehicle; and

based on the determination that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, (ii) the third time is less than or equal to the first time, and (iii) the passenger is ready to manually drive the vehicle, granting a manual driving authority of the vehicle to a driving device corresponding to the passenger.

2. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

based on the determination that the second time is greater than the first time, outputting a first notification configured to decrease the second time.

3. The control device of claim 2, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

after outputting the first notification, updating the first and second times;

determining that the updated second time is greater than the updated first time; and

based on the determination that the updated second time is greater than the updated first time, outputting a second notification configured to decrease the updated second time.

4. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

based on the determination that the second time is greater than the first time, decelerating the vehicle without coming to a complete stop to increase the first time.

5. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining that a difference between the first time and the second time is less than a first predetermined time; and

based on the determination that the difference between the first time and the second time is less than the first predetermined time, initiating switching of a driving mode of the vehicle from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode.

6. The control device of claim 5, wherein the initiating switching of the driving mode of the vehicle from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode comprises:

performing a series of preset steps configured to progressively enable manual driving of the vehicle by the driver.

7. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining that a current time is within a second predetermined time from a scheduled time of a scheduled event of the driver; and

based on the determination that the current time is within the second predetermined time from the scheduled time of the scheduled event of the driver, outputting a fifth notification configured to prepare the driver to manually drive the vehicle.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of wheels;

a power source configured to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels; and

the control device of claim 1.

9. The control device of claim 1, wherein the manual driving authority has been granted to the driving device corresponding to the passenger, and wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining, based on the first state of the driver, that the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle; and

based on the determination that the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle, transferring the manual driving authority of the vehicle from the driving device corresponding to the passenger to a driving device corresponding to the driver.

10. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, and (ii) nearby vehicles are present within a predetermined distance from the vehicle; and

based on the determination that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, and (ii) nearby vehicles are present within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, performing at least one action configured to notify the nearby vehicles of a potential delay in switching to the manual driving mode.

11. The control device of claim 10, wherein the at least one action configured to notify the nearby vehicles of a potential delay in switching to the manual driving mode comprises one or more of:

(i) outputting a notification sound to an exterior of the vehicle;

or

(ii) turning on a lamp provided on the exterior of the vehicle in a preset manner.

12. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining that the second time is equal to or less than the first time; and

based on the determination that the second time is equal to or less than the first time, maintaining the autonomous driving mode and withholding notifications related to the switch to the manual driving mode.

13. The control device of claim 1, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

determining that (i) the second time is equal to or less than the first time, and (ii) the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle; and

based on the determination that (i) the second time is equal to or less than the first time, and (ii) the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle, switching a driving mode of the vehicle from the autonomous driving mode to the manual driving mode.

14. The control device of claim 13, wherein the determining that the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle comprises:

determining at least one of (i) a completion of a use of a mobile terminal by the driver, or (ii) a termination of a content currently being played back by the vehicle; and

based on the determination of at least one of (i) the completion of the use of the mobile terminal by the driver, or (ii) the termination of the content currently being played back by the vehicle, determining that the driver is ready to manually drive the vehicle, and

wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises;

based on the determination that the driver is not ready to manually drive the vehicle, outputting a fourth notification configured to prepare the driver to manually drive the vehicle.

15. The control device of claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with a wearable terminal worn by the driver, wherein the operations comprise:

receiving, through the communication unit, a second state of the driver from the wearable terminal; and

updating the second time based on the second state of the driver.

16. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

determining, by the vehicle, that the vehicle is operating in an autonomous driving mode;

based on the determination that the vehicle is operating in the autonomous driving mode, determining, by the vehicle, a first time corresponding to an estimated travel time between a current location of the vehicle to a manual driving section where the vehicle is to be switched to a manual driving mode;

obtaining, from a sensor of the vehicle, a first state of a driver of the vehicle and a state of a passenger of the vehicle;

determining, based on the first state of the driver, a second time corresponding to an estimated preparation time needed by the driver to prepare to manually drive the vehicle;

determining whether the second time is greater than the first time;

based on the determination that the second time is less than or equal to the first time, updating the first state of the driver; and

based on the determination that the second time is greater than the first time, performing an action associated with the vehicle,

wherein the performing the action associated with the vehicle comprises;

determining that a passenger is present;

based on the determination that a passenger is present, outputting, to the passenger, a third notification configured to decrease the second time;

determining a third time corresponding to an estimated preparation time needed by the passenger to prepare to manually drive the vehicle;

determining that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, (ii) the third time is less than or equal to the first time, and (iii) the passenger is ready to manually drive the vehicle; and

based on the determination that (i) the second time is greater than the first time, (ii) the third time is less than or equal to the first time, and (iii) the passenger is ready to manually drive the vehicle, granting a manual driving authority of the vehicle to a driving device corresponding to the passenger.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

based on the determination that the second time is greater than the first time, outputting a first notification configured to decrease the second time.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the performing an action associated with the vehicle comprises:

updating, by the vehicle, the first and second times after outputting the first notification;

determining, by the vehicle, that the updated second time is greater than the updated first time; and

based on the determination that the updated second time is greater than the updated first time, outputting, by the vehicle, a second notification configured to decrease the updated second time.