Driving Assistance Apparatus with Human Machine Interface System

• US 20180162409A1
• Filed: 11/29/2017
• Published: 06/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: ALTMANNSHOFER, Heiko, TAKAHASHI, Junya
• Granted Patent: US 10,507,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/408 Radar; Laser, e.g. lidar
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• 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 40/105 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096708 : where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 : where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 : where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 : where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

An apparatus and method for controlling a vehicle is proposed. Detection of a traffic light along the trajectory of a cruising vehicle and a determination of current and future traffic light statuses is performed. It is determined whether the vehicle can arrive at the traffic light during a passing status in accordance with an adaptation of the kinematic vehicle state. Signals are provided via a human 10 machine interface corresponding to various kinematic vehicle state adaptation scenarios in order to enable an arrival at the traffic light during a passing status. In response to the respective human machine interface signals, control of the vehicle can be performed accordingly.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling a vehicle, comprising:

a traffic light detection means configured to determine whether the vehicle is approaching a traffic light,

an arrival time estimation means configured to estimate, when the vehicle is detected to approach a traffic light, a first arrival time of the vehicle at the traffic light based on current driving conditions and a second arrival time of the vehicle at the traffic light based on adapted driving conditions different from the current driving conditions,

a traffic light status determination means configured to determine a traffic light status of the traffic light at the first and second arrival times, the traffic light status being a passing status allowing the vehicle to pass the traffic light or a stopping status requiring the vehicle to stop at the traffic light, and

a processing means configured to calculate whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light based on the current driving conditions of the vehicle based on a determination whether the traffic light has a passing status at the estimated first arrival time and to calculate whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light based on the adapted driving conditions of the vehicle based on a determination whether the traffic light has a passing status at the estimated second arrival time.

2. Apparatus for controlling a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the processing means is further configured, upon detection of the vehicle approaching the traffic light, to determine:

whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light during the passing status at the estimated second arrival time when the current driving conditions are adapted based on first driving condition control settings, so as to pass the traffic light by control based on the first driving condition control settings and/or by manual override by a driver of the vehicle, or

whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light during the passing status at the estimated second arrival time when the current driving conditions are adapted being controlled based on second driving condition control settings, so as to pass the traffic light by control based on the second driving condition control settings and/or by manual override by a driver of the vehicle.

3. Apparatus for controlling a vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a control means configured to control at least one of a driving direction of the vehicle, a speed of the vehicle and/or a acceleration of the vehicle based on first driving condition control settings;

wherein, the control means is configured to adapt the current driving conditions of the vehicle based on the first driving condition control settings, if the processing means determined that the vehicle can pass the traffic light during the passing status when being controlled based on the first driving condition control settings, so as to pass the traffic light by control based on the first driving condition control settings.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the control means is configured to adapt the current driving conditions of the vehicle based on the second driving condition control settings, if the processing means determined that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light during the passing status at the estimated second arrival time when being controlled based on the first driving condition control settings but can pass the traffic light during the passing status at the estimated second arrival time when being controlled based on the second driving condition control settings, so as to pass the traffic light by control based on the second driving condition control settings.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the first and/or second driving condition control settings define one or more control parameters for controlling the vehicle including at least one of a maximal positive longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, a minimal negative longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle, a maximal lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and/or a maximal speed of the vehicle.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein none of the control parameters will be exceeded when it is determined that the vehicle is being controlled based on the first driving condition control settings.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the control parameters will be exceeded when it is determined that the vehicle is being controlled based on the second driving condition control settings.

8. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein

a human machine interface being configured to output a first signal to the driver of the vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle can pass the traffic light by manual operation of the driver of the vehicle based on adapted driving conditions based on the first driving condition control settings and to output a second signal to the driver of the vehicle if it is determined that the vehicle can pass the traffic light based on adapted driving conditions based on the second driving condition control settings.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processing means determines a time period during which adapted driving conditions based on the second driving condition control settings by manual override by a driver of the vehicle enables the vehicle to pass the traffic light during a passing status, and wherein the human machine interface is further configured to output the second signal for the duration of the time period and to output a third signal to the driver of the vehicle after elapsing of the time period indicating that passing of the traffic light by manual override by the driver based on the second driving condition control settings does not further enable the vehicle to pass the traffic light.

10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the determination, whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light during a passing status by manual override by the driver of the vehicle based on the second driving condition control settings, is based on a speed limit.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a communication means is being configured to communicably connect with a communication means of the traffic light to obtain traffic light status information, wherein the traffic light status of the traffic light at the estimated first or second arrival time and/or the duration until a time of switching of a traffic light status of the traffic light is determined based on the obtained traffic light status information.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the determination, whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light during a passing status when being controlled based on respective driving condition control settings, is further performed in accordance with a determination of positions and/or velocities of other vehicles arranged ahead of the vehicle.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein determination of traffic light position, vehicle position and/or other vehicle positions is based upon data provided by at least one out of a camera, a laser distance measuring device, a global positioning system or a vehicle-traffic light communication network.

14. Method for controlling an vehicle, comprising:

determining, whether the vehicle is approaching a traffic light,

estimating, when the vehicle is detected approaching a traffic light, a first arrival time of the vehicle at the traffic light based on current driving conditions and a second arrival time of the vehicle at the traffic light based on adapted driving conditions different from the current driving conditions,

determining a traffic light status of the traffic light at the first and second arrival times, the traffic light status being a passing status allowing the vehicle to pass the traffic light or a stopping status requiring the vehicle to stop at the traffic light,

calculating, whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light based on the current driving conditions of the vehicle based on a determination whether the traffic light has a passing status at the estimated first arrival time and calculating whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light based on the adapted driving conditions of the vehicle based on a determination whether the traffic light has a passing status at the estimated second arrival time.

15. Computer program including computer-readable instructions which, when loaded to a control means of an apparatus for controlling a vehicle, are configured to cause the controller to execute a method according to claim 14.