SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DRIVER ASSISTANCE

• US 20170052540A1
• Filed: 08/20/2015
• Published: 02/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lokesh, Chethan
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,859 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/262 setting initial distance to preceding vehicle, e.g. initial algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2310/264 changing distance, e.g. reducing the distance for overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0095 Automatic control mode change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/54 Audio sensitive means, e.g. ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/53 Road markings, e.g. lane marker or crosswalk
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2754/30 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/165 Automatically following the path of a preceding lead vehicle, e.g. "electronic tow-bar"
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/51 Relative positioning

Abstract

Embodiments are disclosed for an example driver assistance system for a vehicle. The example driver assistance system includes a sensor module communicatively coupled to one or more sensors, a processor, and a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to, responsive to detecting an entry condition, disengage control of the vehicle by a driver of the vehicle, and engage autopilot of the vehicle upon detecting a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle. The instructions are further executable to follow the leading vehicle at a threshold separation until detecting an exit condition.

Claims

1. A driver assistance system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor module communicatively coupled to one or more sensors;

a processor; and

a storage device storing instructions executable by the processor to;

responsive to detecting an entry condition,

decrease an amount of control of the vehicle provided by a driver of the vehicle,

increase an amount of control of the vehicle automatically provided by one or more vehicle systems upon detecting a leading vehicle in front of the vehicle, and

automatically control the vehicle to follow the leading vehicle at a threshold separation until detecting an exit condition.

2. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein decreasing the amount of control of the vehicle provided by the driver of the vehicle comprises disengaging a manual vehicle control routine and increasing the amount of control of the vehicle automatically provided by one or more vehicle systems comprises engaging an automatic vehicle control routine, and wherein the storage device includes further instructions executable by the processor to:

responsive to detecting the exit condition,

disengage the automatic vehicle control routine; and

re-engage the manual vehicle control routine.

3. The driver assistance system of claim 2, wherein engaging the automatic vehicle control routine includes automatically controlling an engine control system of the vehicle to automatically follow the leading vehicle at a threshold speed and threshold separation and for a threshold time, disengaging the automatic vehicle control routine includes ceasing the automatic controlling of the engine control system and returning control of the engine control system to the driver.

4. The driver assistance system of claim 3, wherein the threshold speed, the threshold time, and the threshold separation are further based on one or more of the entry condition, a vehicle condition, a driver preference, the exit condition, and a road condition.

5. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the entry condition includes identifying start of a no-passing zone further based on inputs from the sensors, the sensors including one or more of cameras mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the entry condition is further based on a driver preference.

6. The driver assistance system of claim 5, wherein the exit condition includes identifying an end of one or more of the no-passing zone, and wherein the exit condition is further based on the driver preference.

7. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein the entry condition includes identifying start of one or more of a narrow lane zone, a one-lane zone, a construction/road-work ahead zone, and a slippery road, further based on the inputs from the sensors, and wherein the entry condition is further based on the driver preference.

8. The driver assistance system of claim 7, wherein the exit condition includes identifying an end of one or more of the narrow lane zone, the one-lane zone, the construction/road-work ahead zone, and the slippery road, and wherein the exit condition is further based on the driver preference

9. The driver assistance system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the entry condition and the exit condition is detected based on identifying, via images captured by one or more cameras, audio detected by one or more microphones, and/or navigation data from a navigation unit, one or more of lane markings, road signs, road geography, traffic patterns, vehicle conditions, and user input.

10. A navigation system for a vehicle, comprising:

a sensor subsystem communicatively coupled to one or more sensors mounted on the vehicle and/or positioned along a travelling road;

an inter-vehicle communication system configured to receive and transmit information between the vehicle and a leading vehicle;

a global positioning system (GPS);

a processor; and

a storage device storing user preferences and storing instructions executable by the processor to;

detect an upcoming no-pass zone based on sensor data from the sensors, and

send instruction to a vehicle control system of the vehicle to activate automatic vehicle control routine to trail the leading vehicle based on the user preferences, wherein the automatic vehicle control routine includes automatically controlling movement of the vehicle with reduced driver intervention relative to driver intervention while operating the vehicle using a manual vehicle control routine.

11. The navigation system of claim 10, wherein the user preferences includes one or more of an authorization to follow the leading vehicle, an amount of separation to maintain between the vehicle and the leading vehicle, and a maximum travelling distance to follow the leading vehicle.

12. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the user preferences are further determined based on user historical data.

13. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein upon activating the automatic vehicle control routine, the maximum travelling distance to follow the leading vehicle is further adjusted based on a length of a no-pass zone wherein the length of the no-pass zone is further determined based on information from one or more of the sensor subsystem, the GPS, and the user preferences.

14. The navigation system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further executable to transmit, via the inter-vehicle communication system, the authorization to follow the leading vehicle to a vehicle communication system of the leading vehicle, receive, via the inter-vehicle communication system, feedback from a vehicle communication system of the leading vehicle, and, responsive to receiving no-follow feedback from the leading vehicle, not activate the automatic vehicle control routine.

15. The navigation system of claim 10, wherein detecting the upcoming no-pass zone is based on data from one of more of a navigation database, the GPS, and image data including road signs obtained via one or more cameras in communication with the navigation system.

16. The navigation system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle control system determines a maximum speed and a maximum travelling distance to follow the leading vehicle based on one or more environmental conditions and vehicle conditions.

17. The navigation system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further executable to deactivate the automatic vehicle control routine upon termination of the no-pass zone and present an instruction to the driver to take control of the vehicle.

18. A method for a navigation system of a vehicle, the method comprising:

responsive to detecting a no-pass zone of a roadway and receiving an authorization from a driver to trail a leading vehicle, issuing vehicle control command from the navigation system to a vehicle control system to control engine operation of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the vehicle control command instructs the vehicle control system to engage autopilot of the vehicle and further disengages driver control of the vehicle via one or more driver-initiated vehicle control commands to one or more driver control devices in the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the vehicle control command further includes instructions regarding one or more of a speed at which to follow the leading vehicle, a distance for which to follow the leading vehicle, and a separation at which to follow the leading vehicle, and wherein the speed, the distance, and the separation are further adjusted based on one or more of a driver input, environmental conditions, and vehicle conditions.