System, a vehicle and a method concerning the behaviour of a vehicle

• US 20030004615A1
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saab AB
• Original Assignee: Saab AB
• Inventors: Hagelin, Hans-Ove
• Granted Patent: US 6,772,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/001 Planning or execution of driving tasks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/0265 the criterion being a learning criterion
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/052 characterised by provision for recording or measuring trainee's performance devices for psychotechnics, e.g. for vehicle drivers A61B5/16, A61B5/18

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for generating basis for decisions concerning the behavior of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle. The system comprises a supervising unit (10) which comprises at least one storage member (12). In the storage member (12) there is a set of rules (14) of a particular kind for how the driver of the vehicle and/or the vehicle shall behave in different situations. The system also comprises a user interface (16) and adaptation means (13) arranged to adapt said set of rules such that at least some of the rules (14) with conclusions (24) belonging thereto are suited to form the basis for decisions concerning the behavior of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle. The invention also concerns a vehicle and a method of generating basis for decisions concerning the behavior of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for generating basis for decisions concerning the behaviour of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle, characterised in that the system comprises:

a supervising unit (10) in the form of a computer device which comprises at least one storage member (12) which comprises a set of rules (14) for how the driver of the vehicle and/or the vehicle shall behave in different situations, which supervising unit (10) is arranged to administer the rules (14),

a user interface (16) comprising first means (18) for presenting information to a user of the system and second means (20) for inputting instructions to said supervising unit (10) such that a user with the help of said second means (20) may modify said set of rules (14), wherein the system is arranged such that each rule (14) comprises one or more predetermined and pre-programmed premises (22) which may either be true or false and one or more predetermined and pre-programmed conclusions (24), wherein the system is arranged such that each premise (22) in the rule is assigned an indicator which may indicate three different conditions, viz. a first condition which is that the premise (22) shall be true, a second condition which is that the premise (22) shall be false and a third condition which is that it does not matter whether the premise (22) is true or false, and wherein at least one conclusion (24) in the rule (14) is suited to be executed if all of said premises (22) fulfil the conditions set by the assigned indicators, and

adaptation means (13) arranged to adapt said set of rules (14) such that at least some of the rules (14) with conclusions (24) belonging thereto are suited to form the basis for decisions concerning the behaviour of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle.

2. A system according to claim 1, characterised in that the system comprises transferring means (15a) arranged for transferring at least some of said set of rules (14) and said basis for decisions to a presentation computer device (17a) which comprises means (19a) for presenting said basis for decisions to a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is in operation.

3. A system according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the system comprises transferring means (15b) arranged for transferring at least some of said set of rules (14) and said basis for decisions to a command computer device (17b) which is arranged to control the behaviour of a vehicle without influence of a driver.

4. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the system is arranged such that the behaviour of said driver and/or vehicle is divided into a plurality of states (30) for different situations in which the vehicle may be, wherein said plurality of states (30) are divided into a network or a hierarchy of states (30), wherein the system is arranged to show, in response to a command from a user via said user interface (16), a window (FIG. 2) which illustrates said network or hierarchy of states.

5. A system according to claim 4, characterised in that the system is arranged such that each state (30) comprises a plurality of said rules (14) which are divided into one or more rule-blocks (31) which concern different aspects of the state (30), wherein the rule or rules (14) which form part of a certain rule-block (31) on a command from a user via said user interface (16) are shown as a rule-block window (FIG. 3).

6. A system according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the system is arranged such that a rule (14) is organised such that it may comprise several conclusions (24), wherein each conclusion is assigned an indicator which may indicate two different cases, a first case which indicates that the conclusion (24) shall be executed or a second case which indicates that the conclusion (24) shall not be executed, wherein a conclusion (24) is meant to be executed if all of said premises (22) fulfil the conditions set by the assigned indicators and the indicator of the conclusion (24) indicates said first case.

7. A system according to claims 5 and 6, characterised in that the system is arranged to show, in said rule-block window (FIG. 3), all premises (22) and conclusions (24) which form part of the different rules (14) which form part of a certain rule-block (31), wherein for each rule (14) in the rule-block (31) said indications which indicate said conditions and cases are shown as marks (32) for the respective premises (22) and conclusions (24).

8. A system according to claim 7, characterised in that the system is arranged such that a user with the help of said second means (20) of the user interface (16) may change the indications of said indicators.

9. A vehicle characterised in that it comprises a presentation computer device (17a) which comprises at least said set of rules (14) and said basis for decisions transferred to the presentation computer device (17a) with the system according to at least claim 2, wherein said presentation computer device (17a) also comprises said means (19a) for presenting said basis for decisions to a driver of the vehicle while the vehicle is in operation.

10. A vehicle according to claim 9, characterised in that the presentation computer device (17a) is arranged to present at least some of said basis for decisions to a driver of the vehicle in response to a command from said driver.

11. A vehicle according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the presentation computer device (17a) is arranged to automatically present at least some of said basis for decisions to a driver of the vehicle without any special command from said driver.

12. A vehicle characterised in that it comprises a command computer device (17b) which comprises at least said set of rules (14) and said basis for decisions transferred to the command computer device (17b) with the system according to at least claim 3, wherein said command computer device (17b) is arranged to control at least a part of the behaviour of a vehicle without the influence of a driver.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising to:

transfer (44a) at least some of said set of rules (14) and said basis for the decisions to a presentation computer device (17a) which comprises means (19a) for presenting said basis for decisions to a driver of a vehicle while the vehicle is in operation.

15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, comprising to:

transfer (44b) at least some of said set of rules (14) and said basis for decisions to a command computer device (17b) which is arranged to control the behaviour of a vehicle without the influence of a driver.

13. A method of generating basis for decisions concerning the behaviour of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle, wherein the method comprises the steps to:

create (41) a set of rules (14) for how the driver of the vehicle and/or the vehicle shall behave in different situations,

provide (42) a user interface (16) comprises first means (18) for presenting information to a user of the rules (14) and second means (20) for inputting instructions such that a user with the help of said second means (20) may modify said set of rules (14), wherein said rules (14) are created such that each rule (14) comprises one or more predetermined premises (22) which may either be true or false and one or more predetermined conclusions (24), wherein each premise (22) in the rule is assigned an indicator which may indicate three different conditions, viz. a first condition which is that the premise (22) shall be true, a second condition which is that the premise (22) shall be false and a third condition which is that it does not matter whether the premise (22) is true or false, and wherein at least one conclusion (24) in the rule (14) is suited to be executed if all of said premises (22) fulfil the conditions set by the assigned indicators, and to

adapt (43) at least some of said rules (14) with conclusions (24) belonging thereto to a form such that they are suited to form the basis for decisions concerning the behaviour of a vehicle and/or of a driver of a vehicle.