METHOD AND APPARATUS TO ADJUST FOR UNDESIRED FORCE INFLUENCING A VEHICLE INPUT CONTROL

• US 20120143392A1
• Filed: 11/01/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pedal Logic LP
• Original Assignee: Marc Lurie
• Inventors: Vass, Attila, Lurie, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 9,481,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/106 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands

Abstract

An input control signal is adjusted to account for a portion of the input control signal that may be attributable to unintended forces. Such unintended forces may include, but are not limited to, one or more of operator initiated unintended forces, vehicle-generated unintended forces, and extra-vehicular unintended forces. The amount by which the input control signal is adjusted correlates to a determined probability. The probability is an indicator as to how likely the input control value is affected by unintended forces.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

a. acquiring an input control signal from an input control mechanism of the vehicle;

b. determining a probability value that the input control signal includes a portion attributable to an unintentional force applied to the input control mechanism; and

c. adjusting the input control signal according to the probability value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the unintentional force is applied to the input control mechanism by an operator performing an action on an input control mechanism.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the unintentional force comprises a vehicle-generated force.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the unintentional force comprises an extra-vehicular force.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the probability value comprises comparing the input control signal and historical input control signals to stored waveforms corresponding to known unintentional forces, and assigning the probability value according to a degree of correlation of the comparison.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising acquiring a geographic position of the vehicle, selecting a sub-set of the known stored waveforms corresponding to the geographic position, and comparing the input control signal and historical input control signals to the sub-set of known stored waveforms.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein there is a linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein there is a non-linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein there is a symmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein there is an asymmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the probability value comprises acquiring a force signal representing a force reaction by the vehicle, comparing the force signal to a baseline value, and determining the probability value according to the comparison.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the force signal is generated by an accelerometer coupled to the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein there is a linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein there is a non-linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein there is a symmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein there is an asymmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising acquiring one or more different types of detected signals, analyzing the one or more different types of detected signals, and adjusting the probability value according to the analysis.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more different types of detected signals comprise geographic position data.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more different types of detected signals comprise vehicle speed data.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the probability value comprises determining a predicted current input control value from historical input control values, comparing the current input control value to the predicted current input control value, and determining the probability value according to the comparison.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the input control signal comprises determining a mode value corresponding to a mode of operating the vehicle, selecting a candidate adjustment value according to the mode value and the probability value, and applying the candidate adjustment value to the input control signal.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the mode value is one of an economy mode, a power mode, or a normal mode.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein there is a linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein there is a non-linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein there is a symmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

33. The method of claim 1 wherein there is an asymmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

34. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the probability value comprises acquiring data from a source external to the vehicle and applying the acquired data to determining the probability value.

35. The method of claim 1 wherein adjusting the input control signal comprises generating an adjusted input control value, and the method further comprises smoothing a rate of correction if a difference between the adjusted input control value and an adjusted input control value from a preceding cycle is greater than a maximum rate of correction threshold value.

36. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing data used to determine the probability value and data used to adjust the input control signal in a storage medium, wherein the stored data is to be used in determining a probability value corresponding to subsequent input control signals and adjusting the subsequent input control signals, thereby forming a learning system.

21. The method of claim 21 wherein there is a linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein there is a non-linear relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein there is a symmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein there is an asymmetric relationship between changes in the probability value and corresponding changes in an amount of adjustment to the input control signal.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the mode value is the result of an operator selection.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the mode value is the result of a system selection determined according to a set of policies.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the mode value is the result of a combination of an operator selection and a system selection determined according to a set of policies.

37. An apparatus comprising:

a. a memory configured to store an input control signal received from an input control mechanism; and

b. a processor coupled to the memory, the processor comprises program instructions configured to;

i. determine a probability value that the input control signal includes a portion attributable to an unintentional force applied to the input control mechanism; and

ii. adjust the input control signal according to the probability value.