IN-VEHICLE PATH VERIFICATION

• US 20150149088A1
• Filed: 11/22/2013
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Attard, Christopher, Elwart, Shane, Greenberg, Jeff Allen, Johri, Rajit, Joyce, John P., Kochhar, Devinder Singh, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Rhode, Douglas Scott, Rupp, Matt Y., Shutko, John, Trombley, Roger Arnold, Tijerina, Louis, Tseng, Hongtei Eric, Waldis, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,212,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/538
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/021 specially adapted to land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A vehicle is operated at least partially autonomously. A predicted path of the vehicle is monitored to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide. A graphical user interface (GUI) is provided that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle. A selection is made to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path. The GUI is updated to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer in an autonomous vehicle, the computer comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the computer is configured to:

operate the vehicle at least partially autonomously;

monitor a predicted path of the vehicle to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide;

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle;

make a selection to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path; and

update the graphical user interface to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to provide a mechanism in the graphical user interface to receive the selection.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to make the selection according to a default selection.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to provide information relating to at least one of the object, the proposed path, and the predicted path, via an interactive voice response (IVR) system in addition to the graphical user interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to highlight at least one of the proposed path and the predicted path by controlling exterior lights on the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is provided via one of a heads up display (HUD), a smart phone, and a tablet computer in the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the object is one of a moving object and a stationary object.

8. A method, comprising:

operating a vehicle at least partially autonomously;

monitoring a predicted path of the vehicle to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide;

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle;

making a selection to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path; and

updating the graphical user interface to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the computer is configured to provide a mechanism in the graphical user interface to receive the selection.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising making the selection according to a default selection.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing information relating to at least one of the object, the proposed path, and the predicted path, via an interactive voice response (IVR) system in addition to the graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising highlighting at least one of the proposed path and the predicted path by controlling exterior lights on the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface is provided via one of a heads up display (HUD), a smart phone, and a tablet computer in the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the object is one of a moving object and a stationary object.

15. A computer-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions executable by a computer processor, the instructions including instructions to:

operate the vehicle at least partially autonomously;

monitor a predicted path of the vehicle to identify an object with which the vehicle is likely to collide;

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes the predicted path, a proposed path for the vehicle to avoid a collision with an object, and the vehicle;

make a selection to follow one of the predicted path and the proposed path; and

update the graphical user interface to include the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path, along with a location of the vehicle on the selected one of the predicted path and the proposed path.

16. The medium of claim 15, the instructions further including at least one of instructions to provide a mechanism in the graphical user interface to receive the selection and instructions to make the selection according to a default selection.

17. The medium of claim 15, the instructions further including instructions to provide information relating to at least one of the object, the proposed path, and the predicted path, via an interactive voice response (IVR) system in addition to the graphical user interface.

18. The medium of claim 15, the instructions further including instructions to highlight at least one of the proposed path and the predicted path by controlling exterior lights on the vehicle.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface is provided via one of a heads up display (HUD), a smart phone, and a tablet computer in the vehicle.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the object is one of a moving object and a stationary object.