Driving assist system

• US 7,069,146 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2005
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hijikata, Shunsuke, Yamamura, Tomohiro, Kitazaki, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US11/099,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20050187713A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/301, 701/117, 701/45, 701/96, 701/41, 701/72, 701/70, 342/70, 342/71, 340/436
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/823 Obstacle sensing
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2401/16 GPS track data
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/166 Platooning
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/704 predicting unorthodox driving conditions for safe or optimal driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/96 ASC - Assisted or power Steering control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/97 Engine Management System [EMS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/982 Active Cruise Control, e.g. DISTRONIC type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 26/021 with means for providing feel, e.g. by changing pedal force characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/08 Lane monitoring; Lane Keeping Systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/083 using active brake actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/087 using active steering actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/089 using optical detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/087 where the control system corrects or modifies a request from the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/0265 Automatic obstacle avoidance by steering
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/029 Steering assistants using warnings or proposing actions to the driver without influencing the steering system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 : for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 : Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

A driving assist system for assisting effort by an operator to operate a vehicle in traveling is provided. The driving assist system receives data including information on vehicle state and information on environment in a field around the vehicle. A controller, mounted to the vehicle, determines future environment in the field, makes an operator response plan in response to the determined future environment to determine command, and generates the command. The operator response plan prompts the operator to operating the vehicle in a desired manner for the determined future environment. At least one actuator, mounted to the vehicle, prompts the operator in response to the command to operating the vehicle in the desired manner.

Claims

1. A driving assisting system comprising:

a data collection system configured to collect data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle; and

a controller configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time based on the collected data;

determining a desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time, based on the respective future condition of the at least one moving object;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on the desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the step of determining a desired location of the vehicle comprising the steps of:

for each of the at least one future point in time, choosing at least one possible future location of the vehicle based on the respective future condition of the at least one moving object;

for each of the at least one future point in time, determining a collision risk associated with each of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle, based on the respective future condition of the moving object; and

for each of the at least one future point in time, selecting one of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle as the desired location associated with each respective future point in time, based on the respective collision risk associated with each of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the selecting step comprises the steps of:

selecting one of the at least one possible future location associated with each respective future point in time that has the lowest collision risk;

determining a needed operation of the vehicle to arrive to the possible future location that has the lowest collision risk;

determining whether the needed operation satisfies a predetermined criterion; and

responsive to the needed operation satisfying the predetermined criterion, selecting the possible future location that has the lowest collision risk as the desired location associated with each respective future point in time.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to further perform the steps of:

for each of the at least one future point in time, selecting a location adjacent to the possible future location that has the lowest collision risk, wherein a needed operation of the vehicle to arrive to the adjacent location satisfies the predetermined criterion; and

responsive to the needed operation to arrive to the possible future location that has the lowest collision risk failing to satisfy the predetermined criterion, selecting the adjacent location as the desired location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate a hazard map representing present driving environment in a field around the vehicle based on the collected data, and a hazard map representing the future driving environment associated with each of the at least one future point in time based on the collected data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the suggested operation applies to a driver control device, wherein the driver control device is configured to be used by a driver to operate the vehicle; and

the step of providing the prompt to the driver includes the steps of;

detecting an operation condition of the driver control device; and

providing the prompt to the driver by regulating a reaction force applied to the driver control device based on a relative relationship between the detected operation condition of the driver control device and the suggested operation.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to calculate a collision risk associated with the detected operation condition of the driver control device, and regulate the reaction force applied to the driver control device based on the calculated collision risk associated with the detected operation condition of the driver control device.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the reaction force applied to the driver control device is increased in response to an increase in the calculated collision risk.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the suggested operation includes at least one of a desired longitudinal speed, a desired lateral speed and a desired yaw angle of the vehicle.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the driver control device is a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

responsive to the suggested operation being the desired yaw angle of the vehicle, the prompt is provided by regulating the reaction force applied to the steering wheel; and

responsive to the suggested operation being at least one of the desired longitudinal speed and the desired lateral speed, the prompt is provided by regulating the reaction force to the at least one of the accelerator pedal and the brake pedal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes at least one of a speed and a distance of at least one vehicle in at least one of the lane in which the vehicle including the driving assisting system is being driven and an adjacent lane.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the suggested path includes a path to change from the lane in which the vehicle including the driving assisting system is being driven to the adjacent lane.

14. A vehicle comprising:

a data collection system configured to collect data related to the vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle;

a controller configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time based on the collected data;

determining a desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time, based on the respective future condition of the at least one moving object;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on the desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

15. A driving assisting system comprising:

means for collecting data related to a vehicle and at least one object in a field around the vehicle; and

data processing means configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time based on the collected data;

determining a desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time, based on the respective future condition of the at least one moving object;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on the desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

16. A driving assisting method comprising the steps of:

collecting data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time based on the collected data;

determining a desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time, based on the respective future condition of the at least one moving object;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on the desired location of the vehicle for each of the at least one future point in time;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

17. A driving assisting system comprising:

a data collection system configured to collect data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle; and

a controller configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time;

generating a hazard map representing the predicted future driving environment associated with each of the at least one future point in time based on the future condition of the at least one moving object;

determining risk potential of the vehicle at different locations based on the hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on a result of the step of determining risk potential;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the step of determining risk potential comprises the steps of:

for each of the at least one future point in time, choosing at least one possible future location of the vehicle based on the respective hazard map;

for each of the at least one future point in time, determining risk potential associated with each of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle, based on the respective hazard map; and

for each of the at least one future point in time, selecting one of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle as an optimum location, based on the respective risk potential associated with each of the at least one possible future location of the vehicle;

wherein the suggested path is formed based on the optimum location associated each of the at least one future point in time.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the selecting step comprises the steps of:

selecting one of the at least one possible future location associated with each respective future point in time that has the lowest risk potential;

determining a needed operation of the vehicle to arrive to the possible future location that has the lowest risk potential;

determining whether the needed operation satisfies a predetermined criterion; and

responsive to the needed operation satisfying the predetermined criterion, selecting the possible future location that has the lowest risk potential as the optimum location associated with each respective future point in time.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to further perform the steps of:

for each of the at least one future point in time, selecting a location adjacent to the possible future location that has the lowest risk potential, wherein a needed operation of the vehicle to arrive to the adjacent location satisfies the predetermined criterion; and

responsive to the needed operation to arrive to the possible future location that has the lowest risk potential failing to satisfy the predetermined criterion, selecting the adjacent location as the optimum location.

21. A vehicle comprising:

a data collection system configured to collect data related to the vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle;

a controller configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time;

generating a hazard map representing a predicted future driving environment associated with each of the at least one future point in time based on the future condition of the at least one moving object;

determining risk potential of the vehicle at different locations based on the respective hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on a result of the step of determining risk potential;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

22. A driving assisting system comprising:

means for collecting data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle; and

data processing means configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time;

generating a hazard map representing a predicted future driving environment associated with each of the at least one future point in time based on the future condition of the at least one moving object;

determining risk potential of the vehicle at different locations based on the respective hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on a result of the step of determining risk potential;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

23. A driving assisting method comprising the steps of:

collecting data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time;

generating a hazard map representing a predicted future driving environment associated with each of the at least one future point in time based on the future condition of the at least one moving object;

determining risk potential of the vehicle at different locations based on the respective hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time;

forming a suggested path of the vehicle based on a result of the step of determining risk potential;

determining a suggested operation of the vehicle to accomplish the suggested path; and

providing a prompt to the driver of the vehicle to perform the suggested operation.

24. A driving assisting system comprising:

a data collection system configured to collect data related to a vehicle and at least one moving object in a field around the vehicle; and

a controller configured to perform the steps of;

predicting a future condition of the at least one moving object associated with each of at least one future point in time based on the collected data;

generating a hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time, based on a result of the predicting step; and

determining risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the generated hazard map associated with each of the at least one future point in time.