APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING TO ENABLE AUTONOMOUS SYSTEM IN VEHICLE

• US 20190317494A1
• Filed: 04/05/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: LEE, Dong Hwi, YOO, Su Jung, JEONG, Jin Su, JEON, Jae Young
• Granted Patent: US 11,550,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/22 Psychological state; Stress level or workload
• 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 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0059 Estimation of the risk associated with autonomous or manual driving, e.g. situation too complex, sensor failure or driver incapacity
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling to enable an autonomous system in a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor, an input device configured to receive an input from a driver of the vehicle, an output device configured to output a notification in the vehicle, and a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor, the input device, and the output device. The control circuit is configured to activate an autonomous control in response to an input of the driver to the input device, detect a critical situation of the vehicle using the sensor, output a notification to transfer a control authority using the output device in response to the detected critical situation, and automatically reactivate the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved after temporarily releasing the autonomous control, when the critical situation corresponds to a critical situation of a specified type.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling to enable an autonomous system in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to sense information regarding an outside of the vehicle and an inside of the vehicle;

an input device configured to receive an input from a driver of the vehicle;

an output device configured to output a notification in the vehicle; and

a control circuit configured to be electrically connected with the sensor, the input device, and the output device,

wherein the control circuit is configured to;

activate an autonomous control in response to the received input;

detect a critical situation of the vehicle by the sensor;

output a notification to transfer a control authority by the output device in response to the detected critical situation; and

automatically reactivate the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved after temporarily releasing the autonomous control, wherein the critical situation corresponds to a critical situation of a specified type.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

output a fist type of notification by the output device when the critical situation corresponds to the critical situation of the specified type; and

output a second type of notification by the output device when the critical situation does not correspond to the critical situation of the specified type.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the critical situation of the specified type comprises at least one of:

prediction of temporary departure from an operational design domain (ODD) of the autonomous control;

detection of driver distraction;

detection of steering control by the driver for less than or equal to a specified level;

or

detection of acceleration control by the driver for less than or equal to the specified level.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

predict the temporary departure based on traveling route information and map information.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

detect the driver distraction by monitoring whether the driver looks ahead of the vehicle using the sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

detect the steering control by monitoring a movement of a steering wheel.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

detect the acceleration control by monitoring a movement of an accelerator pedal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

temporarily release the autonomous control, when the critical situation corresponds to the critical situation of the specified type and when the control authority is transferred to the driver.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

output a first type of notification in response to the detected critical situation when the critical situation corresponds to the critical situation of the specified type; and

output a second type of notification when the control authority is not transferred to the driver for a predetermined amount of time after outputting the first type of notification.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

release the autonomous control when the critical situation does not correspond to the critical situation of the specified type;

maintain releasing the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved; and

reactivate the autonomous control only when the input is detected again.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

release the autonomous control when the critical situation does not correspond to the critical situation of the specified type and when the control authority is transferred to the driver.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control circuit is configured to:

control the vehicle based on a predetermined minimum risk maneuver (MRM) when the control authority is not transferred to the driver for the predetermined amount of time after outputting the notification to transfer the control authority.

13. A method for controlling to enable an autonomous system in a vehicle, the method comprising:

activating, with a control circuit included in the vehicle, an autonomous control in response to an input of a driver of the vehicle to an input device included in the vehicle;

detecting, with a sensor included in the vehicle, a critical situation of the vehicle;

outputting, with an output device included in the vehicle, a notification to transfer a control authority in the vehicle in response to the detected critical situation; and

automatically reactivating, with the control circuit, the autonomous control when the critical situation is solved after temporarily releasing the autonomous control, wherein the critical situation corresponds to a critical situation of a specified type.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein reactivating the autonomous control further comprises:

when the critical situation corresponds to the critical situation of the specified type and when the control authority is transferred to the driver, temporarily releasing, with the control circuit, the autonomous control.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises:

when the critical situation does not correspond to the critical situation of the specified type, releasing, with the control circuit, the autonomous control;

when the critical situation is solved, maintaining, with the control circuit, releasing the autonomous control; and

reactivating, with the control circuit, the autonomous control only when the input of the driver is detected again.