AUTONOMOUS LANE CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20130184926A1
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spero, Dorian Jack, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Rupp, Matthew Y., Joh, Peter Gyumyeong
• Granted Patent: US 9,187,117 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• 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 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 : Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

An autonomous control system for a vehicle that controls the speed and steering system of the vehicle to operate in a lane-keeping mode or a lane-changing mode. Position sensors sense the location of surrounding vehicles. A lane determining system identifies a current lane where the vehicle is located. A source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the course of the current lane. A controller provides instructions to the steering system and speed control system to maneuver the vehicle in either the lane-keeping mode or the lane-changing mode. The driver may override the control system by providing a manual input to the steering system or the speed control system.

Claims

1. An autonomous lane operation system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a location sensor that determines a position of a plurality of surrounding vehicles within a predetermined area around the motor vehicle and provides surrounding vehicle location data;

a lane determining system that identifies a current lane of the motor vehicle and provides current lane-identification data representing the current lane of the motor vehicle.

a controller that receives the surrounding vehicle location data, the current lane identification data and generates path data;

the steering system which steers the motor vehicle according to the path data provided by the controller.

2. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a brake switch that is activated upon application of a brake that sends an over-ride signal to the controller; and

the controller transfers control of the steering system and the brake to a driver.

3. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a speed sensor that determines the speed that the motor vehicle is travelling and generates a speed signal; and

the controller that uses the speed signal and the path data to calculate a required speed for the motor vehicle to travel;

the controller that based on the calculated required speed, a series of instructions are provided to an accelerator and a braking system; and

the controller that upon receiving the series of instructions, the speed control system adjusts the speed of the motor vehicle.

4. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a steering input signal that senses a manual input and generates an over-ride command; and

wherein the controller sends information regarding the over-ride command to the steering system, and returns control of the steering system to a driver.

5. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising the location sensor that determines a revised position of the plurality of surrounding vehicles within the predetermined area around the motor vehicle and provides updated surrounding vehicle location data;

the lane-identification apparatus that determines a revised current lane of the motor vehicle and provides revised current lane-identification data representing a revised current lane of the motor vehicle.

the controller which receives the updated surrounding vehicle location data, the revised current lane identification data and generates alternate path data;

the controller which provides the alternate path data to the steering system of the motor vehicle; and

the steering system steers the motor vehicle according to the alternate path data.

6. An autonomous lane-changing system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a sensor that determines a position of a plurality of surrounding vehicle within a predetermined area and provides a position signal for each surrounding vehicle;

a controller receives the position signals and generates path data for the motor vehicle and provides a series of instructions for a steering system.

7. The lane-changing system of claim 6 further comprising:

the steering system receives the series of instructions provided by the controller and

maneuvers the vehicle to follow the path data calculated by the controller;

a brake sensor that provides a brake applied input when a driver applies the brakes;

a manual steering sensor provides a manual-steering applied input when the driver turns a steering wheel that causes the vehicle to vary from the series of steering instructions;

an accelerator pedal sensor that provides a manual accelerator input when the driver contacts the accelerator; and

wherein the controller upon receiving at least one of the brake applied input, the manual steering input, and the manual accelerator input returns control of the braking system, the steering system, and accelerator system to the driver.

9. The lane-changing system of claim 6 wherein the controller processes the position signals to calculate a gap value between the surrounding vehicles in a target lane.

10. The lane-changing system of claim 9 wherein the gap value is processed by the controller to generate the series of instructions to maneuver the motor vehicle into the target lane.

11. The lane-changing system of claim 9 further comprising:

a speed control system that controls the speed of the vehicle;

wherein the series of instructions includes a speed instruction that is provided to the speed control system;

wherein the gap value is processed by the controller to determine whether the gap value is less than an adequate clearance value, and if the gap value is less than the adequate clearance value the controller modifies the speed instruction to change the speed of the motor vehicle.

12. The lane-changing system of claim 9 further comprising the controller sends a signal of the generated path data to a user.

13. The signal of claim 12 further comprising a display screen displaying a visual representation of the generated path data.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the generated path data further comprises a series of instructions for the user to follow.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the display screen displaying the visual representation of the generated path data further comprises a map with the generated path data is marked on the map.

8. (canceled)

16. An autonomous lane-keeping system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a steering system;

a sensor determines a position of a preceding vehicle and provides a following distance signal;

a lane determining system identifies a current lane in which the motor vehicle is travelling and provides a lane-assignment signal;

a source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the course of the current lane;

a controller receives the following distance signal, the lane-assignment signal, and the oncoming lane course data, wherein the controller calculates a path for the motor vehicle and provides a series of steering instructions; and

wherein the steering system maneuvers the vehicle based upon the series of steering instructions.

17. The lane-keeping system of claim 16 further comprising a sensor for sensing a curvature of a roadway and generates a signal representing the roadway curvature;

the controller, upon receiving the signal representing roadway curvature, calculates a set of path data for keeping the vehicle in the current lane and provides a series of instructions for the steering system based on the set of path data; and

the steering system receives the series of instructions and maneuvers the vehicle to follow the current lane.

18. The lane-keeping system of claim 16 wherein the source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the location of a merging on-ramp, the system further comprising:

a sensor for sensing a merging vehicle in the merging on-ramp and providing with a series of merging on-ramp signals representing a series of locations over time of the vehicle in the merging on-ramp;

the controller receives the merging on-ramp signals and determines the course of the merging vehicle, the controller compares the course of the merging vehicle that is compared to the path for the vehicle to determine a timing interval between the time that the merging vehicle enters the current lane and a time that the vehicle is at the location of the merging on-ramp, wherein the controller compares the timing interval to an adequate timing interval value, wherein if the timing interval is less than the adequate timing interval value the controller calculates a series of lane changing instructions; and

the steering system receives the lane changing instructions and maneuvers the vehicle based on the series of lane changing instructions.

19. The lane-keeping system of claim 16 wherein the source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the location of a merging on-ramp, the system further comprising:

a sensor for sensing a merging vehicle in the merging on-ramp and providing with a series of merging on-ramp signals representing a series of locations over time of the vehicle in the merging on-ramp;

the controller receives the merging on-ramp signals and determines the course of the merging vehicle, the controller compares the course of the merging vehicle that is compared to the path for the vehicle to determine a timing interval between the time that the merging vehicle enters the current lane and a time that the vehicle is at the location of the merging on-ramp, wherein the controller compares the timing interval to an adequate timing interval value, wherein if the timing interval is less than the adequate timing interval value the controller provides an override signal; and

wherein the steering system upon receiving the override signal returns control of the steering system to a driver.

20. The lane keeping system of claim 16 further comprising a signal that senses the activation of the brake, upon sensing the activation of the break, the steering and the accelerator is transferred to the user.