SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SPEED ADAPTIVE STEERING OVERRIDE DETECTION DURING AUTOMATED LANE CENTERING

• US 20130060413A1
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,965,633 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/286 Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention
• 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 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/02 responsive only to vehicle speed

Abstract

One or more vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle may be measured. One or more expected vehicle steering measurements may be calculated, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements. At least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement may be calculated. A speed of the vehicle may be measured. One or more current threshold values may be calculated based on the measured speed, each of the current threshold values corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement. An automatic vehicle control system may be deactivated when one or more of the calculated differences exceeds its corresponding current threshold value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

measuring one or more vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle;

calculating one or more expected vehicle steering measurements, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements;

calculating at least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement;

measuring a speed of the vehicle;

calculating one or more current threshold values based on the measured speed, each of the current threshold values corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement; and

deactivating an automatic vehicle control system when one or more of said at least one calculated difference exceeds its corresponding current threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calculated current threshold declines in value as the measured speed increases.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle steering measurements comprises a vehicle steering angle measurement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more vehicle steering measurements comprises a vehicle steering torque measurement.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current threshold value has a constant value when the measured speed is greater than or less than a predetermined range of speeds.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic vehicle control system comprises an automated lane centering system.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising providing an alert prior to deactivating the automatic vehicle control system.

8. A system comprising:

a vehicle automated steering system;

one or more sensors; and

a controller to;

measure one or more vehicle steering measurements of a vehicle;

calculate one or more expected vehicle steering measurements, each calculated expected vehicle steering measurement corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements;

calculate at least one difference between one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement;

measure a speed of the vehicle;

calculate one or more current threshold values based on the measured speed, each of the current threshold values corresponding to one of the measured vehicle steering measurements and its corresponding calculated expected vehicle steering measurement; and

deactivate the vehicle automated steering system when one or more of said at least one calculated difference exceeds its corresponding current threshold value.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the calculated current threshold declines in value as the measured speed increases.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more vehicle steering measurements comprises a steering angle measurement.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more vehicle steering measurements comprises a steering torque measurement.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the current threshold value has a constant value when the measured speed is greater than or less than a predetermined range of speeds.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle automated steering system comprises an adaptive lane centering system.

14. The method of claim 8, comprising providing an alert prior to activating the vehicle automated steering system.

15. A method comprising:

in a vehicle, evaluating a plurality of vehicle steering conditions using a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle;

evaluating a speed of the vehicle using the plurality of sensors; and

disengaging an autonomous driving application if the evaluated vehicle steering conditions and the evaluated speed indicate that the operator of the vehicle is overriding the autonomous driving application.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of vehicle steering conditions comprise a vehicle steering angle condition and a vehicle steering torque condition.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a steering angle sensor, a steering torque sensor, and a speed sensor.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

determining one or more expected vehicle steering conditions based on one or more vehicle steering control conditions.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein disengaging the autonomous driving application if evaluated vehicle steering conditions and the evaluated speed indicate the operator of the vehicle is overriding the autonomous driving application comprises calculating a current threshold value based on the measured speed and evaluating whether a difference between the evaluated one or more vehicle steering conditions and one or more expected vehicle steering conditions exceeds the calculated current threshold.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the calculated current threshold declines in value as the measured speed increases.