APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTINUOUSLY ESTABLISHING A BOUNDARY FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING AVAILABILITY AND AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH AN APPARATUS

• US 20150253772A1
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: SOLYOM, Stefan, ROTHOFF, Marcus Nils Gunnar, BLOM, Ake
• Granted Patent: US 9,594,373 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/10 Number of lanes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0011 involving control alternatives for a single driving scenario, e.g. planning several paths to avoid obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0057 Estimation of the time available or required for the handover
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0212 : with means for defining a desired trajectory involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0276 : using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058
• 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

Provided are a method and apparatus for continuously establishing a boundary for autonomous driving availability, in a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and comprising at least one remote sensor for acquiring vehicle surrounding information and at least one vehicle dynamics sensor for determining vehicle dynamics parameters. The method and apparatus include at least one of a positioning arrangement that provides map data with associated information, a route planning arrangement that enables route planning, a vehicle driver monitoring arrangement that provides driver monitoring information, and a real time information acquiring arrangement that acquires at least one of traffic information and weather information. The boundary is calculated based on a planned route and at least one of vehicle surrounding information, vehicle dynamics parameters, driver monitoring information, map data, traffic information and weather information, for the planned route. Changes in the calculated boundary are output to a human machine interface in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for continuously establishing a boundary for autonomous driving availability in vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities, the vehicle comprising at least one remote sensor configured to acquire vehicle surrounding information and at least one vehicle dynamics sensor configured to determine vehicle dynamics parameters, the apparatus comprising:

at least one of a positioning arrangement configured to provide map data with associated speed limit and road infrastructure information, a route planning arrangement, a vehicle driver monitoring arrangement configured to provide vehicle driver monitoring information, and an arrangement for acquiring real time information including at least one of real time traffic information and real time weather information;

a processor configured to continuously calculate a boundary for autonomous driving availability based on a planned route and at least one of vehicle surrounding information, vehicle dynamics parameters, map data with associated speed limit and infrastructure information, vehicle driver monitoring information, real time traffic information and real time weather information, associated with the planned route; and

a human machine interface configured to output to a vehicle passenger compartment information on any changes in the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability along the planned route.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor further is configured to calculate a hand over time, required for hand over from autonomous driving to manual driving, and to compare the calculated hand over time with the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability and to provide a request for hand over from autonomous driving to manual driving should the comparison indicate that the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability is within a predetermined range of the calculated hand over time.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an interface for communicating the information on any changes in the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability along the planned route to an autonomous drive control unit of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the human machine interface further is configured to output to the vehicle passenger compartment information relating to changes in automation level available with the current calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the human machine interface is configured to output the information to the vehicle passenger compartment through at least one of a graphical, an audio or a tactile output arrangement.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arrangement for acquiring real time information, when present, comprises an interface for communication via one or more portable communication devices of vehicle occupants for acquiring the real time information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the arrangement for acquiring real time information, when present, comprises an interface for performing at least one of vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication for acquiring the real time information.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an interface for communicating the information on any changes in the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability along the planned route externally of the vehicle using at least one or more portable communication devices of vehicle occupants, vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication.

10. An automotive vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities and comprising an apparatus for continuously establishing a boundary for autonomous driving availability according to claim 1.

9. A method for continuously establishing a boundary for autonomous driving availability in a vehicle having autonomous driving capabilities, the vehicle comprising at least one remote sensor configured to acquire vehicle surrounding information and at least one vehicle dynamics sensor configured to determine vehicle dynamics parameters, the method comprising:

at least one of providing map data with associated speed limit and road infrastructure information using a positioning arrangement, performing route planning using a route planning arrangement, monitoring a vehicle driver and providing vehicle driver monitoring information using a vehicle driver monitoring arrangement, and acquiring real time information including at least one of real time traffic information and real time weather information;

continuously calculating, using a processor, a boundary for autonomous driving availability based on a planned route and at least one of vehicle surrounding information, vehicle dynamics parameters, map data with associated speed limit and infrastructure information, vehicle driver monitoring information, real time traffic information and real time weather information, associated with the planned route; and

outputting, to a human machine interface configured in a vehicle passenger compartment, information on any changes in the calculated boundary for autonomous driving availability along the planned route.