SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING SMOOTHNESS FOR LANE CENTERING STEERING CONTROL

• US 20120283913A1
• Filed: 05/05/2011
• Published: 11/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-Woo, Litkouhi, Bakhtiar Brian, Chen, Xingping
• Application Number:
  US13/101,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20120283913A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• 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

Abstract

A method and system may calculate a steering adjustment required for a vehicle traveling on a roadway to execute a transition to lane centering maneuver. A steering limit may be selected or calculated in accordance with a desired smoothness level for completing the maneuver. The steering limit may be applied to a steering adjustment to obtain a modified steering adjustment, and the modified steering adjustment may be applied to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

calculating a steering adjustment required for a vehicle traveling on a roadway to execute a transition to lane centering maneuver;

accepting a steering limit in accordance with a desired smoothness level for completing the maneuver;

applying the steering limit to the steering adjustment to obtain a modified steering adjustment; and

applying the modified steering adjustment to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steering adjustment comprises an angular adjustment of a rotatable steering wheel of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the smoothness level is obtained based on input from a driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculating of the steering adjustment comprises calculating a lane centering path for the maneuver, based on a sensed current heading of the vehicle relative to a sensed center line as determined by lane markings.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the calculating of the steering adjustment comprises calculating an angle between the sensed current heading and the calculated lane centering path.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the calculating of the lane centering path comprises calculating a path that smoothly connects the sensed current heading with the sensed center line.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steering limit is a multiplicative factor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the steering limit varies during the maneuver.

9. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium, including instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to carry out the method of:

calculating a steering adjustment required for a vehicle traveling on a roadway to execute a transition to lane centering maneuver;

accepting a steering limit in accordance with a desired smoothness level for completing the maneuver;

applying the steering limit to the steering adjustment to obtain a modified steering adjustment; and

applying the modified steering adjustment to the vehicle.

10. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the steering adjustment comprises an angular adjustment of a rotatable steering wheel of the vehicle.

11. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the smoothness level is based on input from a driver.

12. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the calculating of the steering adjustment comprises calculating a lane centering path for the maneuver, based on a sensed current heading of the vehicle relative to a sensed center line as determined by lane markings.

13. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the calculating of the steering adjustment comprises calculating an angle between the sensed current heading and the calculated lane centering path.

14. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 12, wherein the calculating of the lane centering path comprises calculating a path that smoothly connects the sensed current heading with the sensed center line.

15. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the steering limit is a multiplicative factor.

16. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 9, wherein the steering limit varies during the maneuver.

17. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to;

calculate a steering adjustment required for a vehicle traveling on a roadway to execute a lane centering maneuver;

accept a steering limit in accordance with a desired smoothness level for completing the maneuver;

apply the steering limit to the steering adjustment to obtain a modified steering adjustment; and

apply the modified steering adjustment to the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the steering adjustment comprises an angular adjustment of a rotatable steering wheel of the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising an input device, wherein the smoothness level is based on input from a driver to the input device.

20. The system of claim 17, comprising at least one sensor for sensing a current heading of the vehicle and a center line as determined by lane markings, wherein the calculating of the steering adjustment comprises calculating a lane centering path for the maneuver, based on the sensed current heading of the vehicle relative to the sensed center line as determined by lane markings.