System And Method To Operate An Automated Vehicle
First Claim
1. An autonomous guidance system (110A) that operates a vehicle (10A) in an autonomous mode, said system (110A) comprising:
- a camera module (22A) that outputs an image signal (116A) indicative of an image of an object (16A) in an area (18A) about a vehicle (10A);
a radar module (30A) that outputs a reflection signal (112A) indicative of a reflected signal (114A) reflected by the object (16A); and
a controller (120A) that determines an object-location (128A) of the object (16A) on a map (122A) of the area (18A) based on a vehicle-location (126A) of the vehicle (10A) on the map (122A), the image signal (116A), and the reflection signal (112A), wherein the controller (120A) classifies the object (16A) as small when a magnitude of the reflection signal (112A) associated with the object (16A) is less than a signal-threshold.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for operating an automated vehicle such as an autonomous vehicle may include an autonomous guidance system, a method of automatically controlling and autonomous vehicle based on electronic messages from roadside infrastructure or other-vehicles, a method of automatically controlling an autonomous vehicle based on cellular telephone location information, pulsed LED vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system, a method and apparatus for controlling an autonomous vehicle, an autonomous vehicle with unobtrusive sensors, and adaptive cruise control integrated with a lane keeping assist system. The systems and methods may use information from radar, lidar, a camera or vision/image devices, ultrasonic sensors, and digital map data to determine a route or roadway position and provide for steering, braking, and acceleration control of a host vehicle.
376 Citations
87 Claims
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1. An autonomous guidance system (110A) that operates a vehicle (10A) in an autonomous mode, said system (110A) comprising:
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a camera module (22A) that outputs an image signal (116A) indicative of an image of an object (16A) in an area (18A) about a vehicle (10A); a radar module (30A) that outputs a reflection signal (112A) indicative of a reflected signal (114A) reflected by the object (16A); and a controller (120A) that determines an object-location (128A) of the object (16A) on a map (122A) of the area (18A) based on a vehicle-location (126A) of the vehicle (10A) on the map (122A), the image signal (116A), and the reflection signal (112A), wherein the controller (120A) classifies the object (16A) as small when a magnitude of the reflection signal (112A) associated with the object (16A) is less than a signal-threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An autonomous guidance system (110A) that operates a vehicle (10A) in an autonomous mode, said system (110A) comprising:
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a camera module (22A) that outputs an image signal (116A) indicative of an image of an object (16A) in an area (18A) about a vehicle (10A); a radar module (30A) that outputs a reflection signal (112A) indicative of a reflected signal (114A) reflected by the object (16A); and a controller (120A) that generates a map (122A) of the area (18A) based on a vehicle-location (126A) of the vehicle (10A), the image signal (116A), and the reflection signal (112A), wherein the controller (120A) classifies the object (16A) as small when a magnitude of the reflection signal (112A) associated with the object (16A) is less than a signal-threshold. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method (100B) of operating a vehicle (10B), comprising the steps of:
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receiving a message from roadside infrastructure via an electronic receiver (102B); and providing, by a computer system in communication with said electronic receiver, instructions based on the message to automatically implement countermeasure behavior by a vehicle system (104B). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method (200B) of operating a vehicle (10B), comprising the steps of:
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receiving a message from another vehicle via an electronic receiver (202B); and providing, by a computer system in communication with said electronic receiver, instructions based on the message to automatically implement countermeasure behavior by a vehicle system (204B). - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method (100C) of operating a vehicle (10C), comprising the steps of:
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receiving a message via an electronic receiver indicating a cellular telephone location (26C) proximate to the vehicle (10C) (102C); determining a cellular telephone velocity (28C) of the based on changes in the cellular telephone location (26C) over a period of time (104C); and providing, by a computer system in communication with said electronic receiver, instructions based on the cellular telephone location (26C) and the cellular telephone velocity (28C) to automatically implement countermeasure behavior by a vehicle system (106C). - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A vehicle-to-vehicle communication system (100D) comprising:
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a front light emitting diode (LEDD) array; a central-processing-unit (110D) in communication with said front LED array (102D); wherein said central-processing-unit is configured to receive a vehicle (10D) input information and generates a vehicle (10D) output information based on the vehicle (10D) input information, and send the vehicle (10D) output information to said front LED array (102D); wherein said front LED array (102D) is configured to receive the vehicle (10D) output information from said central-processing-unit and generates a luminous digital signal based on the vehicle (10D) output information. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A vehicle (10D) having a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system (100D), wherein said vehicle (10D) comprising:
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a front light emitting diode (LEDD) array and a front optical receiver (106D) mounted onto front of said vehicle (10D); a rear LED array (104D) and a rear optical receiver (108D) mounted onto rear of said vehicle (10D); and a central-processing-unit (110D) in electronic communication with said LED arrays (102D) and said optical receivers (106D). - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of vehicle-to-vehicle communication comprising the steps of:
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receiving an input information from an occupant or vehicle (10D) system of a transmit vehicle (10D); generating a output information based on the input information of the transmit vehicle (10D); generating a digital signal based output information of the transmit vehicle (10D); and transmitting said digital signal in the form of luminous digital pulses to a receive vehicle (10D). - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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46. A method (400E) comprising:
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controlling, by one or more computing devices (170E, 120E), an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy (416E); developing (402E), by the one or more computing devices, said first control strategy (416E) based on map data (160E) contained on a first map (300E); receiving (406E, 506E), from one or more sensors (112E, 114E, 116E), sensor data (330E, 332E, 334E, 336E) corresponding to a first set (370E, 372E, 374E, 376E, 378E) of data contained on said first map (300E); comparing (408E) said sensor data to said first set of data on said first map on a periodic basis; determining (410E, 510E) a first correlation rate between said sensor data and said first set of data on said first map; and selecting (412E, 512E) a second control strategy (414E, 516E) when said correlation rate drops below a predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A method comprising:
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controlling, by one or more computing devices (170E, 120E), an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy (416E); receiving by one or more computing devices map data (330E, 332E, 334E, 336E) corresponding to a planned route (320E) of said vehicle (100E); developing (402E) by one or more computing devices a lane selection strategy; receiving (406E, 506E) by one or more computing devices sensor data from said vehicle (100E) corresponding to objects in the vicinity of said vehicle (100E); and changing (412E, 512E) said lane selection strategy based on changes to said sensor data. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method comprising:
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controlling by one or more computing devices (170E, 120E) an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy (416E); receiving (406E) by one or more computing devices (112E, 114E, 116E) sensor data from said vehicle corresponding to moving objects in a vicinity of said vehicle; receiving by one or more computing devices road condition data; determining by one or more computing devices undesirable locations for said vehicle relative to said moving objects;
whereinsaid step of determining undesirable locations for said vehicle is based at least in part on said road condition data. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70)
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71. A method comprising:
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controlling by one or more computing devices an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy (416E, 516E); developing by one or more computing devices said first control strategy based at least in part on data contained on a first map (300E), wherein said first map (300E) is simultaneously accessible by more than one vehicle (100E); receiving by one or more computing devices sensor data from said vehicle (100E) corresponding to objects in the vicinity of said vehicle (100E); and updating by said one or more computing devices said first map (300E) to include information about at least one of said objects based on said sensor data. - View Dependent Claims (72)
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73. A method comprising:
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controlling by one or more computing devices an autonomous vehicle (100E); activating a visible signal (730E) on said autonomous vehicle (100E) when said vehicle (100E) is being controlled by said one or more computing devices; and keeping said visible signal activated during the entire time that said vehicle (100E) is being controlled by said one or more computing devices. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75)
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76. A method comprising:
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controlling by one or more computing devices an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy (416E, 516E); receiving by one or more computing devices sensor (860E) data corresponding to a first location; detecting a first moving object (850E) at said first location; changing said first control strategy based on said sensor data relating to said first moving object; and wherein said sensor data is obtained from a first sensor that is not a component of said autonomous vehicle (100E). - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79)
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80. A method comprising:
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controlling by one or more computing devices an autonomous vehicle (100E) in accordance with a first control strategy; approaching an intersection (820E) with said vehicle (100E); receiving by one or more computing devices sensor data from said vehicle (100E) corresponding to objects in the vicinity of said vehicle (100E); determining whether another vehicle (840E) is at said intersection (820E) based on said sensor data; determining by one or more computing devices whether said other vehicle (840E) or said autonomous vehicle (100E) has priority to proceed through said intersection (820E); activating a yield signal (790E) to indicate to said other vehicle (830E) that said autonomous vehicle (100E) is yielding said intersection (820E).
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- 81. A vehicle (14F) having a pre-determined exterior surface comprised of body sections (16F, 18F, 26F) and at least a front windshield (22F), said vehicle (14F) further including sensors (30F, 32F) capable of providing data from a substantially 360 degree perimeter of said vehicle (14F), all of said sensors being mounted without protrusion beyond said exterior surface.
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85. A method (30G) of operating an adaptive cruise control system (28G) for use in a vehicle configured to actively maintain a following-distance behind a leading-vehicle at no less than a predetermined threshold-distance, said method comprising:
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determining (14G) when a following-distance of a trailing-vehicle (10G) behind a leading-vehicle (12G) is less than a threshold-distance (T); maintaining (16G) the following-distance when the following-distance is not less than the threshold-distance; determining (18G) when the following-distance is less than a minimum-distance (X) that is less than the threshold-distance; decelerating (20G) the trailing-vehicle at a normal-deceleration-rate when the following-distance is less than the threshold-distance and not less than the minimum-distance (X); and decelerating (22G) the trailing-vehicle at an aggressive-deceleration-rate when the following-distance is less than the minimum-distance.
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86. An adaptive cruise control system for use in a vehicle that actively maintains a following-distance at a pre-determined threshold behind a leading-vehicle, the improvement comprising:
means for providing a more aggressive deceleration (22G) to the threshold-distance when the vehicle is at a following-distance less that the threshold-distance.
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87. A system suitable for use on an automated vehicle, said system comprising:
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a sensor operable to detect an object proximate to a vehicle; and a controller in communication with the sensor, said controller configured to operate a vehicle control of the vehicle.
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Specification