Driver assistant system using influence mapping for conflict avoidance path determination

• US 10,733,892 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Electronics Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pflug, Goerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Melton, Todd M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roberson, Jason R
• Application Number:
  US16/173,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20190066508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/095 Predicting travel path or likelihood of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/10 Path keeping cruise control for automatically following a preceding vehicle B60W30/165
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A vehicular control system for a vehicle includes a plurality of sensors. Responsive to data processing, the vehicular control system determines respective speeds of the determined vehicles and respective directions of travel of the determined vehicles, and determines respective influence values for the determined vehicles based on determined potential hazards to the equipped vehicle presented by the respective determined vehicles. The determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is weighted according to direction and/or magnitude of a speed vector of that determined vehicle. The weighted determined respective influence values for the determined vehicles are ranked according to their hazard potential. A path of travel is selected from the plurality of determined paths responsive at least in part to the rankings of the weighted determined respective influence values. The system at least in part controls vehicle steering to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel.

Claims

1. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of cameras, and wherein said plurality of cameras comprises (i) a front camera disposed at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield, (ii) a left side camera disposed at a left side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a right side camera disposed at a right side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one radar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a data processor, wherein data captured by said at least one radar sensor and data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras are processed at said control to determine presence of vehicles exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to data processing at said control of data captured by said at least one radar sensor and data captured by said at least one of said plurality of cameras, said vehicular control system determines respective speeds of the determined vehicles and respective directions of travel of the determined vehicles;

wherein said vehicular control system determines a respective influence value for each of the determined vehicles, and wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the respective determined vehicle;

wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is weighted according to one selected from the group consisting of (i) direction of a speed vector of that determined vehicle and (ii) magnitude of a speed vector of that determined vehicle;

wherein the weighted determined respective influence values for the determined vehicles are ranked according to their hazard potential;

wherein said vehicular control system selects a path of travel for the equipped vehicle responsive to the rankings of the weighted determined respective influence values; and

wherein said vehicular control system at least in part controls steering of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel.

2. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said at least one radar sensor comprises a plurality of radar sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle.

3. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one lidar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle.

4. The vehicular control system of claim 3, wherein said at least one lidar sensor comprises a plurality of lidar sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle.

5. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein data captured by said at least one radar sensor and data captured by at least said front camera are processed at said control to determine presence of vehicles ahead of the equipped vehicle.

6. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular control system informs a driver of the equipped vehicle of the selected path of travel.

7. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular control system at least in part controls a brake system of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle is guided along the selected path of travel.

8. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular control system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined vehicles.

9. The vehicular control system of claim 8, wherein the at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow is selected by iterating an influence map current condition into a future map condition in time steps.

10. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein said vehicular control system selects the path of travel based at least in part on a driving condition at a road being traveled by the equipped vehicle.

11. The vehicular control system of claim 1, wherein, responsive to the weighted determined respective influence values, said vehicular control system determines multiple potential paths for the equipped vehicle.

12. The vehicular control system of claim 11, wherein image data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras is processed at said control to determine a respective type of vehicle for the determined vehicles, and wherein the path of travel is selected from the multiple determined potential paths responsive at least in part to the determined types of vehicles along one or more of the multiple determined potential paths.

13. The vehicular control system of claim 11, wherein the path of travel is selected based at least in part on rankings of the multiple determined potential paths.

14. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based on likelihood of collision of the equipped vehicle with one or more determined vehicles along the respective determined potential paths.

15. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on lengths of the respective determined potential paths.

16. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on determined distances to the one or more determined vehicles from the equipped vehicle for the respective determined potential paths.

17. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of steering intervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

18. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

19. The vehicular control system of claim 13, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of acceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

20. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of cameras, and wherein said plurality of cameras comprises (i) a front camera disposed at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield, (ii) a left side camera disposed at a left side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a right side camera disposed at a right side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises at least one radar sensor disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a data processor, wherein data captured by said at least one radar sensor and data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras are processed at said control to determine presence of vehicles exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to data processing at said control of data captured by said at least one radar sensor and data captured by said at least one of said plurality of cameras, said vehicular control system determines respective speeds of the determined vehicles and respective directions of travel of the determined vehicles;

wherein said vehicular control system determines a respective influence value for each of the determined vehicles, and wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the respective determined vehicle;

wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is weighted according to one selected from the group consisting of (i) direction of a speed vector of that determined vehicle and (ii) magnitude of a speed vector of that determined vehicle;

wherein, responsive to the weighted determined respective influence values, said vehicular control system determines multiple potential paths for the equipped vehicle;

wherein the multiple determined potential paths for the equipped vehicle are ranked according to their hazard potential;

wherein said vehicular control system selects a path of travel for the equipped vehicle responsive at least in part to the rankings of the multiple determined potential paths;

wherein said vehicular control system selects the path of travel based at least in part on a driving condition at a road being traveled by the equipped vehicle; and

wherein said vehicular control system at least in part controls steering of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel.

21. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the path of travel is selected based at least in part on rankings of the multiple determined potential paths.

22. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based on likelihood of collision of the equipped vehicle with one or more determined vehicles along the respective determined potential paths.

23. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on lengths of the respective determined paths.

24. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on determined distances to one or more determined vehicles from the equipped vehicle for the respective determined potential paths.

25. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of steering intervention required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

26. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of braking required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

27. The vehicular control system of claim 20, wherein the multiple determined potential paths are ranked based at least in part on a level of acceleration required for the equipped vehicle to follow the respective determined potential path.

28. A vehicular control system, said vehicular control system comprising:

a plurality of sensors disposed at a vehicle equipped with said vehicular control system;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of cameras, and wherein said plurality of cameras comprises (i) a front camera disposed at an in-cabin surface of a windshield of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least forward of the equipped vehicle through the windshield, (ii) a left side camera disposed at a left side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle, (iii) a right side camera disposed at a right side of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least sideward of the equipped vehicle and (iv) a rear camera disposed at a rear portion of the equipped vehicle and viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle;

wherein said plurality of sensors comprises a plurality of radar sensors disposed at the equipped vehicle and sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle;

a control comprising a data processor, wherein data captured by at least one of said plurality of radar sensors and data captured by at least one of said plurality of cameras are processed at said control to determine presence of vehicles exterior of the equipped vehicle;

wherein, responsive to data processing at said control of data captured by said at least one of said plurality of radar sensors and data captured by said at least one of said plurality of cameras, said vehicular control system determines respective speeds of the determined vehicles and respective directions of travel of the determined vehicles;

wherein said vehicular control system determines a respective influence value for each of the determined vehicles, and wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is based on a determined potential hazard to the equipped vehicle presented by the respective determined vehicle;

wherein the determined respective influence value for each determined vehicle is weighted according to one selected from the group consisting of (i) direction of a speed vector of that determined vehicle and (ii) magnitude of a speed vector of that determined vehicle;

wherein the weighted determined respective influence values for the determined vehicles are ranked according to their hazard potential;

wherein said vehicular control system selects a path of travel for the equipped vehicle responsive to the rankings of the weighted determined respective influence values;

wherein said vehicular control system informs a driver of the equipped vehicle of the selected path of travel;

wherein said vehicular control system at least in part controls steering of the equipped vehicle to guide the equipped vehicle along the selected path of travel; and

wherein said vehicular control system at least in part controls a brake system of the equipped vehicle as the equipped vehicle is guided along the selected path of travel.

29. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said vehicular control system determines at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow that limits conflict with the determined vehicles.

30. The vehicular control system of claim 29, wherein the at least one alternative path of travel for the equipped vehicle to follow is selected by iterating an influence map current condition into a future map condition in time steps.

31. The vehicular control system of claim 28, wherein said vehicular control system selects the path of travel based at least in part on a driving condition at a road being traveled by the equipped vehicle.