AUTOMATIC TURN SIGNAL ACTIVATION DURING A LANE CHANGE MANEUVER

• US 20160185279A1
• Filed: 12/26/2014
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zagorski, Chad T., Moshchuk, Nikolai K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,573,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/40 having mechanical, electric or electronic automatic return to inoperative position

Abstract

A method for automatic activation of a vehicle turn indicator is disclosed. The method may include determining whether a lane change maneuver is impending in a specified direction. The method may also include determining whether the vehicle turn indicator has been activated through a driver interface. The vehicle turn indicator may be engaged when not activated through the driver interface.

Claims

1. A method for automatic activation of a vehicle turn indicator comprising the steps of:

determining whether a turning maneuver is impending in a specified direction;

determining whether the vehicle turn indicator has been engaged through a driver interface; and

engaging the vehicle turn indicator if the vehicle turn indication has not activated through the driver interface.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the steps of waiting a selected time interval and then determining whether the turning maneuver is active.

3. The method according to claim 2 including the step of repeating the step of waiting the selected time interval when the turning maneuver is active.

4. The method according to claim 1 including the step of determining whether the turn signal has been activated through the driver interface in a direction away from the specified direction.

5. The method according to claim 4 including the step of determining whether a second level turn signal activation is enabled.

6. A method for automatic activation and deactivation of a vehicle turn indicator comprising the steps of:

determining whether a turning maneuver is impending in a specified direction;

determining whether the vehicle turn indicator has been activated in the specified direction through a driver interface;

not engaging the vehicle turn indicator if the vehicle turn indicator has been activated through the driver interface; and

engaging the vehicle turn indicator if the vehicle turn indicator has not been activated through the driver interface.

7. The method according to claim 6 including the step of determining whether an automatic turn signal escalation is enabled.

8. The method according to claim 7 including the steps of engaging the turn signal in a first level when the automatic turn signal escalation is not enabled;

and engaging the turn signal in a second level when the automatic turn signal escalation is enabled.

9. The method according to claim 6 including the steps of waiting for an interval of time to elapse after the vehicle turn indicator is engaged;

and determining whether the turning maneuver is active after the interval of time has elapsed.

10. The method according to claim 9 including the step of repeating the step of waiting for the interval of time to elapse when it is determined that the turning maneuver is active.

11. The method according to claim 9 including the step of deactivating the vehicle turn indicator when it is determined that the turning maneuver is not active.

12. The method according to claim 6 including the step of determining whether the vehicle turn indicator has been activated through the driver interface in a direction away from the specified direction.

13. The method according to claim 12 including the step of determining whether an automatic turn signal escalation is enabled when it is determined that the vehicle turn indicator has been activated through the driver interface in a direction away from the specified direction.

14. A method for automatic vehicle turn signal activation comprising the steps of:

determining whether a turning maneuver is impending in a specified direction;

determining whether an automatic turn signal activation is enabled;

determining whether an automatic turn signal escalation is enabled;

engaging the vehicle turn signal in a first level when the automatic turn signal activation is enabled and the automatic turn signal escalation is not enabled; and

engaging the vehicle turn signal in a second level when the automatic turn signal activation is enabled and the automatic turn signal escalation is enabled.

15. The method according to claim 14 including the steps of waiting a time interval after the vehicle turn signal is engaged;

and determining whether the turning maneuver is active after the time interval has elapsed.

16. The method according to claim 14 including the step of not engaging the vehicle turn signal when it is determined that the automatic turn signal activation is not enabled.

17. The method according to claim 14 including the step of determining whether the vehicle turn signal has been activated through a driver interface;

and not engaging the vehicle turn signal when it is determined that the vehicle turn signal has been activated through the driver interface.

18. The method according to claim 14 including the steps of determining whether the vehicle turn signal has been activated through a driver interface in a direction away from the specified direction;

and determining whether an automatic turn signal cancellation is enabled.

19. The method according to claim 18 including the step of not engaging the vehicle turn signal when it is determined that the automatic turn signal cancellation is not enabled.

20. The method according to claim 14 including the steps of determining whether the turning maneuver is active;

and disengaging the vehicle turn signal when the turning maneuver is not active.