Method and system for intention estimation and operation assistance

• US 20050131588A1
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Drexel University
• Original Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD. & DREXEL UNIVERSITY
• Inventors: Kuge, Nobuyuki, Yamamura, Tomohiro, Salvucci, Dario
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2026/023 with electrical means to generate counter force or torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0029 Mathematical model of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

An intention estimation and operation assistance system for estimating an operator'"'"'s intention and providing assistance to operation of a machine. Reference data, such as the operation of a plurality of hypothetical operators, is provided for comparison with the operation of a real operator, to determine an estimated intention of the operator. The estimated operator is utilized to alter the operation of the machine, to provide a safer and/or smoother operation experience in operating the machine.

Claims

1. A system for estimating a driver'"'"'s intention comprising:

a first device configured to detect an operation of a real driver of a vehicle;

a second device configured to calculate a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary drivers based on the operation of the real driver and an operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is associated with an intention; and

a third device configured to determine an estimated intention of the real driver based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the third device is configured to select one of the plurality of imaginary drivers based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of drivers, and determine the estimated intention of the real driver based on the intention of the selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is a lane-keeping intention, a lane-changing intention to the right or a lane-changing intention to the left.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first device is configured to detect an operation of the real driver at each one of different points in time;

the second device is configured to generate the respective likelihood value for each of the plurality of imaginary drivers based on partial likelihood values of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the different points in time; and

each of the partial likelihood values is respectively associated with a respective operation of one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each one of the different points in time, and is generated based on the respective detected operation of the real driver at each one of the different points in time and the respective operation of one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each one of the different points in time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein each respective likelihood value for each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is a respective summation of partial likelihood values of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the different points in time.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the second device is configured to generate data related to at least one additional imaginary driver at a selected point in time, based on the intention of a first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at a point of time preceding the selected point of time, wherein each of the at least one additional imaginary driver has an associated intention and operation at each respective one of the different points in time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the intention of each of the at least one additional imaginary driver at the selected point of time is different from the intention of the first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the selected point of time, and each additional imaginary driver assumes the associated intention of the first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each point in time preceding the selected point in time.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein for each of the imaginary drivers, the second device is configured to generate an intention corresponding to a new point in time based on the respective intention of each of the imaginary drivers at a point in time preceding the new point in time.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the second device is configured to eliminate a selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers based on an intention of the selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at a specific point in time and an operation status of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle comprising;

a detector configured to detect environment around the vehicle;

a first device configured to detect an operation of a real driver of the vehicle at a point in time;

a second device configured to calculate a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary drivers based on the operation of the real driver and an operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers in the detected environment, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is associated with an intention; and

a third device configured to determine an estimated intention of the real driver based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

11. A method for estimating a driver'"'"'s intention comprising the steps of:

detecting an operation of a real driver of a vehicle;

calculating a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary drivers, based on the operation of the real driver and the operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is associated with an intention; and

determining an estimated intention of the real driver based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step comprises the steps of:

selecting one of the plurality of imaginary drivers based on the respective likelihood values; and

determining the estimated intention of the real driver as the intention of the selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is a lane-keeping intention, a lane-changing intention to the right or a lane-changing intention to the left.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the detecting step detects an operation of the real driver at each one of different points in time;

each respective likelihood value for each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is generated based on partial likelihood values of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the different points in time; and

each of the partial likelihood values is respectively associated with an operation of one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each one of the different points in time, and is generated based on the respective detected operation of the real driver at each one of the different points in time and the respective operation of one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each one of the different points in time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each respective likelihood value for each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is a respective summation of partial likelihood values of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the different points in time.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of generating data related to at least one additional imaginary driver at a selected point in time, based on the intention of a first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at a point of time preceding the selected point of time, wherein each of the at least one additional imaginary driver has an associated intention and operation at each respective one of the different points in time.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the intention of each of the at least one additional imaginary driver at the selected point of time is different from the intention of the first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at the selected point of time.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein each additional imaginary driver assumes the associated intention of the first one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at each point in time preceding the selected point in time.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein for each of the imaginary drivers, the second device is configured to generate an intention corresponding to a new point in time based on the respective intention of each of the imaginary drivers at a point in time preceding the new point in time.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the second device is configured to eliminate a selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers based on an intention of the selected one of the plurality of imaginary drivers at a specific point in time and an operation status of the vehicle.

21. A driver assisting system for a vehicle operated by a real driver, comprising:

a driver controlled input device;

a risk potential calculator configured to calculate a risk potential related to the vehicle;

a driver'"'"'s intention estimating system including;

a first device configured to detect an operation of the real driver;

a second device configured to calculate a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary drivers based on the operation of the real driver and an operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is associated with an intention; and

a third device configured to determine an estimated intention of the real driver based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers. and

a reaction force control unit configured to regulate a reaction force associated with the driver controlled input device based on the calculated risk potential and the estimated intention of the real driver.

22. The driver assisting system of claim 21, wherein the reaction force control unit is configured to perform an initial regulation on the reaction force based on the calculated risk potential, and to modify the initial regulation based on the estimated intention of the real driver.

23. The driver assisting system of claim 21, wherein the reaction force control unit is configured to modify the risk potential based on the estimated intention of the real driver, and to modify the reaction force based on the modified risk potential.

24. A system for estimating a driver'"'"'s intention comprising:

means for detecting an operation of a real driver of a vehicle;

means for calculating a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary drivers based on the operation of the real driver and an operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers is associated with an intention; and

means for determining an estimated intention of the real driver based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary drivers.

25. A method for estimating an operator'"'"'s intention comprising the steps of:

detecting an operation performed by an operator;

calculating a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary operators, based on the operation performed by the operator and the operation of each of the plurality of imaginary operators, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary operators is associated with an intention; and

determining an estimated intention of the operator based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary operators.

26. A machine-readable medium bearing instructions for estimating an operator'"'"'s intention, the instructions, upon execution by a data processing system, causing the data processing system to perform the steps of:

detecting an operation performed by an operator;

calculating a respective likelihood value for each of a plurality of imaginary operators, based on the operation performed by the operator and the operation of each of the plurality of imaginary operators, wherein the respective operation of each of the plurality of imaginary operators is associated with an intention; and

determining an estimated intention of the real operator based on the respective likelihood value of each of the plurality of imaginary operators.