METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CRUISE CONTROL BASED ON SCHOOL BUS

• US 20160082958A1
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: YOON, Ji Hyun
• Granted Patent: US 9,545,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2300/10 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4023 large-size vehicles, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4044 Direction of movement, e.g. backwards
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/17 with provision for special action when the preceding vehicle comes to a halt, e.g. stop and go

Abstract

Method and apparatus for a vehicle cruise control, particularly concerning a school bus, which includes collecting information on the school bus and a road environment positioned around nearby vehicle, monitoring position, velocity and moving direction of the school bus, and state of surrounding road. If the school bus is stopped relatively near the front of the nearby vehicle, the method continues by determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped by comparing the collected school bus information and the road environment information with a predefined cruise regulation based on the school bus, and guiding the driver to stop as well as controlling the vehicle to stop depending on the determination result.

Claims

1. A method for a cruise control based on a school bus, the method comprising:

collecting information on the school bus and a road environment which are positioned around a vehicle;

monitoring a position, velocity and a moving direction of the school bus, and a state of surrounding road;

if the school bus is stopped relatively near the front of the vehicle, determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped by comparing the collected school bus information and road environment information with a predefined cruise regulation based on the school bus; and

guiding a driver to stop and controlling the vehicle to stop depending on the determination result.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the determining of whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the moving direction of the school bus is the same as a moving direction of the vehicle, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, in the determining of whether or not the vehicle is positioned, if the school bus is stopped in the same lane as that of the vehicle or a next lane thereof, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in the determining of whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the moving direction of the school bus is opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopped depending on whether a centerline is present on a corresponding road.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the centerline is not present on the corresponding road, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the moving direction of the school bus is opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopped depending on the number of lanes on a corresponding road.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the corresponding road is a double lane, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the moving direction of the school bus is opposite to a moving direction of the vehicle, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopped depending on whether or not a median strip is present on a corresponding road and on a height of the median strip.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the median strip is not present on the corresponding road, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, when determining whether or not the vehicle is stopped, if the height of the median strip disposed on the corresponding road is less than a reference value, it is determined that the vehicle is stopped.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when controlling of the vehicle to stop, the vehicle is controlled to maintain a stopped state until the school bus, which is stopped at the front of the vehicle, starts a cruise.

12. An apparatus for a cruise control based on a school bus, the apparatus comprising:

a surrounding environment monitor configured to collect information on the school bus and a road environment which are positioned around a vehicle and to monitor a position, velocity and a moving direction of the school bus, and a state of surrounding road;

a determiner configured to determine whether or not the vehicle is stopped by comparing the collected school bus information and road environment information with a predefined cruise regulation based on the school bus if the school bus is stopped relatively at the front of the vehicle; and

a cruise controller configured to guide the stop to a driver and to control the vehicle to be automatically stop or maintain a cruise state depending on the determination result of the determiner.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the surrounding environment monitor collects the school bus information and the road environment information from at least one of a sensor, navigation, and a communicator which are included in the vehicle.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the sensor includes at least one of a lidar, a radar, and a camera.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the communicator receives information on the school bus and the road environment which are positioned around the vehicle through communication with at least one of surrounding vehicles, roadside devices, and a control center.