METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE DURING OPERATION

• US 20120265403A1
• Filed: 06/29/2009
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Svensson, Jan-Inge, Pohl, Jochen, Ragnhult, Sten, Hultén, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0008 including means for detecting potential obstacles in vehicle path
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17557 specially adapted for lane departure prevention road vehicle drive control systems for lane keeping otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering

Abstract

A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario includes predicting if a first guiding force to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation and, if the first guiding force is desired, predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation, comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value, and if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value, in advance, deciding whether to apply the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario comprising

predicting if a first guiding force, received from a lane keeping control function, to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation, and if the first guiding force is desired:

predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force and a second guiding force received from a reference generator, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation,

comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value, and if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value;

in advance deciding whether to apply said the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising deciding to not apply the predicted total guiding force if it exceeds the limit value.

3. A method according to claim 1, comprising deciding to apply the predicted total guiding force only if it is estimated to be sufficient for entirely avoiding the undesired situation.

4. A method according to claim 1, comprising modifying the predicted total guiding force so that it does not exceed the limit value.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising determining a second guiding force based on at least one steering device guiding force operation model, and determining the predicted total guiding force as a sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force.

6. A method according to claim 5, comprising, irrespective of any prediction of the first guiding force:

continuously during operation determining the second guiding force,

continuously applying the total guiding force comprising the determined second guiding force to the steering device, and

only if the first guiding force is desired determining the predicted total guiding force as the sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the at least one guiding force operation model comprises a plurality of desired steering characteristic parameters.

9. A method according to any one of claim 7,wherein the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprises at least lateral acceleration.

10. A method according to claim 7, wherein the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprises at least one of damping of steering device movements, tire friction, self alignment of the steering device to a neutral position and friction in a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels.

11. A method according to claim 7, comprising receiving at least one signal representing a vehicle state and determining a value of the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter based on the vehicle state.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle state is indicative of at least one of a driver steering input, a vehicle lateral acceleration and a vehicle speed.

13. A method according to claim 5, comprising modifying the second guiding force so that the predicted total guiding force does not exceed the limit value.

14. A method according to claim 5, comprising modifying the at least one steering device guiding force operation model so that the predicted total guiding force is sufficient for avoiding the undesired situation during the driver operation.

15. A method according to claim 8, comprising deciding whether to cancel a guiding force contribution of at least one of the plurality of desired steering characteristic parameters so that the predicted total guiding force is sufficient for avoiding the undesired situation during the intervention.

16. A method according to claim 1, comprising

performing the method in a vehicle with a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels for a mechanical transmission of steering signals from the steering device to the wheels,

decoupling a driver steering feel from the influence of the mechanical connection, and instead

providing the driver with a desired steering feel based on the determined total guiding force.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the steering device comprises a steering wheel and that the guiding force forms a guiding torque applied to the steering wheel.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the undesired situation represents a predicted departure from a predicted desired future trajectory of the vehicle.

19. A system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario characterized by means for predicting if a first guiding force, received from a lane keeping control function, to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation, means for predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force and a second guiding force received from a reference generator, which would be applied to he steering device for avoiding the undesired situation and for comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value in order to in advance deciding whether to apply the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value.

20. A system according to claim 19, comprising means for determining a second guiding force based on at least one steering device guiding force operation model, and means determining the predicted total guiding force as a sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force.

21. A system according to claim 20, characterized by the at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter.

22. A system according to claim 21, characterized by the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprises at least one of damping of steering device movements, tire friction, self alignment of the steering device to a neutral position and friction in a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels.

23. A system according to claim 19, characterized by that the system comprises a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels for a mechanical transmission of steering signals from the steering device to the wheels, means for decoupling a driver steering feel from the influence of the mechanical connection and for providing the driver with a desired steering feel based on the determined total guiding force.

24. A system for assisting a driver of a vehicle during operation in order to avoid an undesired situation based on a current driving scenario, wherein the system comprises a control function for predicting if a first guiding force, received from a lane keeping control function, to a vehicle steering device is desired in order to avoid the undesired situation, a control function for predicting a total guiding force comprising the first guiding force and a second guiding force received from a reference generator, which would be applied to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation and for comparing the predicted total guiding force with a limit value in order to in advance deciding whether to apply the predicted total guiding force to the steering device for avoiding the undesired situation or not if the predicted total guiding force exceeds the limit value.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the system comprises a control function for determining a second guiding force based on at least one steering device guiding force operation model, and a control function determining the predicted total guiding force as a sum of the first guiding force and the second guiding force.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein the at least one guiding force operation model comprises at least one desired steering characteristic parameter.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the at least one desired steering characteristic parameter comprise sat least one of damping of steering device movements, tire friction, self alignment of the steering device to a neutral position and friction in a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels.

28. A system according to claim 24, wherein the system comprises a mechanical connection between the steering device and the wheels for a mechanical transmission of steering signals from the steering device to the wheels, a control function for decoupling a driver steering feel from the influence of the mechanical connection and for providing the driver with a desired steering feel based on the determined total guiding force.