METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOTIVE DRIVE MODE SELECTION

• US 20190064812A1
• Filed: 08/28/2017
• Published: 02/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Melgar, Christopher, Lazarevski, Peter Simeon, Patel, Rinku
• Granted Patent: US 10,585,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0054 Cut-off filters, retarders, delaying means, dead zones, threshold values or cut-off frequency
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• 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 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0055 with safety arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems for automotive drive mode operation are disclosed. A disclosed method includes receiving information relating to a condition of a vehicle from a vehicle sensor module, comparing the information to a drive mode threshold, and selecting a drive mode change based on the information satisfying the drive mode threshold. The disclosed method also includes sending the drive mode change to a first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module operating at least one other vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation based on the drive mode change.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information relating to a condition of a vehicle from a vehicle sensor module;

comparing the information to a drive mode threshold;

selecting a drive mode change based on the information satisfying the drive mode threshold; and

sending the drive mode change to a first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module operating at least one other vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation based on the drive mode change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a probability score relating to the condition of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further including weighting the probability score based on a vehicle sensor module hierarchy.

4. The method of claim 3, further including comparing the weighted probability score to the drive mode threshold to determine the drive mode change.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the drive mode threshold includes a threshold for an individual drive mode change, the individual drive mode change including vehicle operation conditions for the individual drive mode change.

6. The method of claim 1, further including receiving output information for vehicle operation condition verification from the first vehicle operation module and the at least one other vehicle operation module.

7. The method of claim 6, further including the first vehicle operation module adjusting vehicle operation conditions until a vehicle operation condition verification threshold has been satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a drive mode change completion update from the first vehicle operation module and sending information for another drive mode change based on the drive mode change completion update.

9. The method of claim 1, further including receiving information from an imbedded modem module, the imbedded modem module to receive information from a network relating to an environmental condition of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further including receiving information relating to the condition of the vehicle from a plurality of vehicle sensor modules.

11. An apparatus comprising:

A vehicle control unit to;

receive information relating to a condition of a vehicle from a vehicle sensor module;

compare the information to a drive mode threshold;

select a drive mode change based on the information satisfying the drive mode threshold; and

send the drive mode change to a first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module to operate at least one other vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation based on the drive mode change.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the information includes a probability score relating to the condition of the vehicle, the vehicle control unit to weight the probability score based on a vehicle sensor module hierarchy.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further including the vehicle control unit to compare the weighted probability score to the drive mode threshold to determine the drive mode change.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the drive mode threshold includes a threshold for an individual drive mode change, the individual drive mode change including vehicle operation conditions for the individual drive mode change.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further including receiving output information for vehicle operation condition verification from the first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation conditions until a vehicle operation condition verification threshold has been satisfied.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further including receiving a drive mode change completion update from the first vehicle operation module, the vehicle control unit to send information for another drive mode change based on the drive mode change completion update.

17. An non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to, at least:

receive information relating to a condition of a vehicle from a vehicle sensor module;

compare the information to a drive mode threshold;

select a drive mode change based on the information satisfying the drive mode threshold; and

send the drive mode change to a first vehicle operation module, the first vehicle operation module to operate at least one other vehicle operation module to adjust vehicle operation based on the drive mode change.

18. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to weight a probability score received in the information based on a vehicle sensor module hierarchy, and compare the weighted probability score to the drive mode threshold to determine the drive mode change.

19. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the drive mode threshold includes a threshold for an individual drive mode change, the individual drive mode change including vehicle operation conditions for the individual drive mode change.

20. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to receive output information for vehicle operation condition verification, and adjust vehicle operation conditions until a vehicle operation condition verification threshold has been satisfied.

21. The computer readable medium as defined in claim 20, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to receive a drive mode change completion update, and send information for another drive mode change based on the drive mode change completion update.