REAL TIME RISK ASSESSMENTS USING RISK FUNCTIONS

• US 20140257659A1
• Filed: 03/04/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Dariush, Behzad
• Application Number:
  US14/196,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257659A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driver assistance system takes as input a number of different types of vehicle environment inputs including positions of hazards such as a road boundary, lane boundaries, and objects in the vehicle'"'"'s environment. The driver assistance uses the inputs to determining a lane change risk function based on the lane boundary position, a road boundary risk function based on the road boundary position, and a collision risk function based on the object position. The risk functions quantifying the risk posed to the vehicle by the detected hazards. Based on the risk functions, the driver assistance controls an actuator of the vehicle. This may include control of actuators such as the steering wheel, brake system, and gas, as well as audio and visual display and warning systems.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a plurality of vehicle environment inputs comprising a position of each of a plurality of hazards, the hazards comprising a lane boundary, a road boundary, and at least one object;

determining a lane change risk function based on the lane boundary position, the lane change risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with exiting a lane;

determining a road boundary risk function based on the road boundary position, the road boundary risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with exiting a road;

determining a collision risk function based on the object position, the collision risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with collision with the object; and

controlling an actuator of the vehicle based on the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 controlling the actuator of the vehicle comprises:

aggregating the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function into an aggregate risk function;

generating a graphical representation of the aggregate risk function, the graphical representation illustrating aggregate risk as a function of position in the vehicle environment; and

displaying the graphical representation inside the vehicle.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein the graphical representation is centered around the vehicle.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein at least one of:

the road boundary risk function is further based on a distance between the vehicle and the road boundary position,

the lane boundary risk function is further based on a distance between the vehicle and the lane boundary position, and

the collision risk function is further based on a distance between the vehicle and the object position.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein at least two different portions of the graphical representation comprise different visually distinguishing characteristics from each other.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the visually distinguishing characteristics include color.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the visually distinguishing characteristics vary based on a distance between the vehicle and the hazard contributing to that portion of the aggregate risk function.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the visually distinguishing characteristics vary based on a portion of the aggregate risk function contributing to the portion of the graphical representation.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the graphical representation is a one-dimensional representation of the aggregate risk function at positions in front of and behind the vehicle.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 5 wherein the graphical representation is a one-dimensional representation of the aggregate risk function at positions on a left side and on a right side of the vehicle.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein controlling the actuator of the vehicle comprises:

generating a weighting matrix based on the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function; and

controlling the actuator of the vehicle based on the weighting matrix.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein the elements of the weighting matrix are based on gradients of the lane boundary, road boundary, and collision risk functions.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein the elements of the weighting matrix are based on distances between the vehicle and the hazards.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein controlling the actuator of the vehicle based on weighting matrix comprises at least one of:

slowing motion of the vehicle towards one of the hazards; and

acceleration motion of the vehicle away from one of the hazards.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 11 wherein the weighting matrix is further based on a destination function that is based on a destination position.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein controlling the actuator of the vehicle based on weighting matrix including the destination function comprises at least one of:

accelerating the vehicle towards the destination position; and

slowing motion of the vehicle away from the destination position.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a plurality of vehicle environment inputs comprising a position of each of a plurality of hazards, the hazards comprising a lane boundary, a road boundary, and at least one object;

determine a lane change risk function based on the lane boundary position, the lane change risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with exiting a lane;

determine a road boundary risk function based on the road boundary position, the road boundary risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with exiting a road;

determine a collision risk function based on the object position, the collision risk function quantifying a risk to the vehicle associated with collision with the object; and

control an actuator of the vehicle based on the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein controlling the actuator of the vehicle comprises:

aggregating the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function into an aggregate risk function;

generating a graphical representation of the aggregate risk function, the graphical representation illustrating aggregate risk as a function of position in the vehicle environment; and

displaying the graphical representation inside the vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein at least two different portions of the graphical representation comprise different visually distinguishing characteristics from each other.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein controlling the actuator of the vehicle comprises:

generating a weighting matrix based on the lane change risk function, the road boundary risk function, and the collision risk function; and

controlling the actuator of the vehicle based on the weighting matrix.