VEHICLE

• US 20090248231A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha (Yamaha Corporation)
• Inventors: KAMIYA, Tsuyoshi
• Application Number:
  US12/042,411
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248231A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A vehicle includes a button switch and a remote controller for setting an autonomous or manual driving mode, a microcomputer which outputs a mask control signal that corresponds to the driving mode, a command control unit which inputs a command to the microcomputer to output the mask control signal that corresponds to the driving mode, and a forward obstacle sensor and a rearward obstacle sensor which detect an obstacle and output a detection signal. A first logic circuit generates an emergency stop control signal that indicates a need or no need for an emergency stop of the vehicle based on the mask control signal from the microcomputer and the detection signals from the obstacle sensors. An emergency stopping operation of the vehicle is controlled based on the emergency stop control signal from the first logic circuit.

Claims

1. A vehicle capable of autonomous driving under self-control and manual driving under a human operator'"'"'s control, comprising:

an operation unit arranged to set an autonomous or manual driving mode;

a first controller arranged to output a mask control signal which corresponds to the driving mode set by the operation unit;

a detector arranged to detect an obstacle and output a detection signal; and

a logic circuit arranged to generate an emergency stop control signal which indicates a need or no need for an emergency stop of the vehicle based on the mask control signal from the first controller and the detection signal from the detector;

wherein

the mask control signal enables or disables masking of the detection signal; and

an emergency stop operation of the vehicle is controlled based on the emergency stop control signal from the logic circuit.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second controller arranged to input a command to the first controller to output the mask control signal which corresponds to the driving mode;

wherein

the mask control signal from the first controller is also inputted to the second controller; and

the second controller determines whether or not the mask control signal corresponds to the driving mode.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the second controller provides the first controller with an autonomous driving start command under the autonomous driving mode if there is an input of the mask control signal to disable masking of the detection signal from the first controller.