VEHICLE AUTONOMOUS MODE DEACTIVATION

• US 20150094898A1
• Filed: 10/01/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tellis, Levasseur, Zwicky, Timothy D.
• Application Number:
  US14/043,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20150094898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/13 Mileage
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/18 Distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/12 related to parameters of the vehicle itself , e.g. tyre models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/045 Monitoring control system parameters

Abstract

A vehicle system includes an autonomous mode controller configured to control at least one vehicle subsystem when operating in an autonomous mode and a processing device configured to monitor a vehicle condition, compare the vehicle condition to a parameter defined by a maintenance schedule, and disable the autonomous mode when the vehicle condition exceeds the parameter and until the vehicle condition is reset. A method includes monitoring a vehicle condition while a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode, comparing the vehicle condition to a parameter defined by a maintenance schedule, and disabling the autonomous mode when the vehicle condition exceeds the parameter and until the vehicle condition is reset.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

an autonomous mode controller configured to control at least one vehicle subsystem when operating in an autonomous mode;

a processing device configured to monitor a vehicle condition, compare the vehicle condition to a parameter defined by a maintenance schedule, and disable the autonomous mode when the vehicle condition exceeds the parameter and until the vehicle condition is reset.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition includes a distance traveled and the parameter includes a maximum allowable distance.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the distance traveled includes a first distance representing a distance traveled in the autonomous mode and a second distance representing a distance traveled in a non-autonomous mode, and wherein the processing device is configured to disable the autonomous mode if the first distance exceeds the maximum allowable distance.

4. The vehicle system of claim 2, further comprising an odometer configured to measure the distance traveled and output a distance signal representing the measured distance traveled to the processing device.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition includes an elapsed time and the parameter defines a maximum amount of time.

6. The vehicle system of claim 5, wherein the elapsed time includes a first elapsed time representing an elapsed time in the autonomous mode and a second elapsed time representing an elapsed time in a non-autonomous mode, and wherein the processing device is configured to disable the autonomous mode if the first elapsed time exceeds the maximum amount of time.

7. The vehicle system of claim 5, further comprising a chronometer configured to measure the elapsed time and output a signal representing the elapsed time to the processing device.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to enable the autonomous mode after receiving a reset command.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to prompt a driver to assume control before disabling the autonomous mode.

10. A method comprising:

monitoring a vehicle condition while a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;

comparing the vehicle condition to a parameter defined by a maintenance schedule; and

disabling the autonomous mode when the vehicle condition exceeds the parameter and until the vehicle condition is reset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle condition includes a distance traveled and the parameter includes a maximum allowable distance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the distance traveled includes a first distance representing a distance traveled in the autonomous mode and a second distance representing a distance traveled in a non-autonomous mode, and wherein the autonomous mode is disabled if the first distance exceeds the maximum allowable distance.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle condition includes an elapsed time and the parameter defines a maximum amount of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the elapsed time includes a first elapsed time representing an elapsed time in the autonomous mode and a second elapsed time representing an elapsed time in a non-autonomous mode, and wherein the autonomous mode is disabled if the first elapsed time exceeds the maximum amount of time.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a reset command; and

resetting the vehicle condition after receiving the reset command.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising prompting a driver to assume control of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the autonomous mode is disabled only after the driver has assumed control of the vehicle.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions that cause a processor to execute operations comprising:

monitoring a vehicle condition while a vehicle is operating in an autonomous mode;

comparing the vehicle condition to a parameter defined by a maintenance schedule; and

disabling the autonomous mode when the vehicle condition exceeds the parameter and until the vehicle condition is reset.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the vehicle condition includes a distance traveled and the parameter includes a maximum allowable distance.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the vehicle condition includes an elapsed time and the parameter defines a maximum amount of time.