Automatic vehicle guidance method and system

• US 20040158366A1
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Dieterle, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/10 Number of lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18159 Traversing an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/026 combined with automatic distance control, i.e. electronic tow bar
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic vehicle guidance method according to which infrastructure data are wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle (10) and vehicle guidance instructions are calculated by using this infrastructure data. The method is characterized in that the infrastructure data for at least one segment of the route (40) located immediately ahead is loaded into an on-board memory (44), in that the actual position of the vehicle (10) is continuously determined by a precise positioning system (14), and in that the instructions are calculated by using the position data and the stored infrastructure data.

Claims

1. A method for automatic vehicle guidance, in which infrastructure data is wirelessly transmitted to the vehicle (10) and vehicle guidance commands are calculated on the basis of the infrastructure data,

wherein the infrastructure data for at least a section of the travel route (40) immediately ahead is loaded into an on-board memory (44);

the current position of the vehicle (10) is continuously determined using a precise position system (14); and

the commands are calculated on the basis of the position data and the stored infrastructure data, the steering control unit (36) intervening in the steering system in such a manner that the vehicle is kept at the center of the lane.

2. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the infrastructure data is provided on a server (22) and transferred into the memory (44) of the vehicle via a radio network, for example, a mobile radio network.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein the infrastructure data for the whole travel route is loaded into the memory (44) at the start of travel.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 or 2,

wherein only the infrastructure data for a section of the travel route immediately ahead is loaded into the memory (44) at any one time;

and

the infrastructure data for the next section is automatically loaded as soon as the end of the first section is reached.

5. The method as recited in one of the preceding claims,

wherein in addition to data representing the course of the roadway (40), the infrastructure data also contains data including road-related restrictions and/or warnings of danger spots.

8. The method as recited in claim 1,

wherein infrastructure data with respect to the uphill or downhill grade of the roadway is appropriately taken into account in the intervention in the drive or brake systems.

6. A system for automatic vehicle guidance, comprising an

electronic guidance unit (16) which intervenes in the drive and steering systems (30, 36) of the vehicle (10),

wherein the guidance unit (16) communicates with a position system (14) for determining the position of the vehicle (10) and, via a radio network (20), with a server (22), and is designed to load infrastructure data about the travel route being used into a memory (44), and to calculate control commands for the drive and steering systems (30, 36) on the basis of the position data provided by the position system (44) and the stored infrastructure data, the steering control unit (36) intervening in the steering system in such a manner that the vehicle is kept at the center of the lane.

7. The system as recited in claim 6,

wherein the guidance unit (16) is combined with a navigation system that accesses the position data of the position system (14).

9. The device as recited in claim 6,

wherein infrastructure data about the uphill or downhill grade of the roadway can be fed to the drive control unit (30) and the brake control unit (34) and is appropriately taken into account in the intervention in the drive or brake systems.