Motor vehicle, in particular automobile, and method for controlling a motor vehicle, in particular an automobile

• US 8,825,302 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Christoph
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US13/597,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20130079991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 701/42
• US Class Current: 701/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0011 Proportional Integral Differential [PID] controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0072 Controller asks driver to take over
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0074 Driver shifts control to the controller, e.g. by pressing a button
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/00 Details of control systems for road vehicle drive control not related to the control of a particular sub-unit , e.g. process diagnostic or vehicle driver interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 15/025 Active steering aids, e.g. helping the driver by actively influencing the steering system after environment evaluation B62D1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 6/00 Arrangements for automatically controlling steering depending on driving conditions sensed and responded to, e.g. control circuits means for initiating a change in direction B62D1/00; steering valves B62D5/06; combined with means for inclining the vehicle body or wheels on bends B62D9/00

Abstract

A motor vehicle and a method for controlling a motor vehicle in road traffic are provided. A motor vehicle includes a driver assistance system and a navigation means comprising a sensor for detecting compressive forces, or tensile forces, or torsional forces. An evaluation unit is coupled to the navigation means and evaluates the signals of the sensor. The evaluation unit puts the driver assistance system into operation or takes it out of operation when a threshold value of the signals stored in the evaluation unit is exceeded or fallen below. A controller is activated when the threshold value is exceeded or fallen below and transfers at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system to manual operation by a driver or transfers the manual control of the motor vehicle to at least partial control by the driver assistance system.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

a driver assistance system;

a navigation means comprising a sensor for detecting compressive forces, or tensile forces, or torsional forces;

an evaluation unit coupled to the navigation means, the evaluation unit configured for evaluating signals of the sensor, wherein the evaluation unit puts the driver assistance system into operation or takes it out of operation when a threshold value of the signals stored in the evaluation unit is exceeded or fallen below; and

a controller that is activated when the threshold value is exceeded or fallen below and which transfers at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system to manual operation by a driver or transfers manual control of the motor vehicle to at least partial control by the driver assistance system.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is an automobile.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driver assistance system is configured as an at least partially autonomous motor vehicle control system.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured as an integrally acting controller.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured as a PID controller or as a PI controller.

6. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller is disposed in a control circuit together with a controlled system that is configured as a first-order delay element or as a second-order non-oscillatory delay member.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the threshold value is exceeded, a function of the motor vehicle taken over by the driver assistance system is transferred to manual operation by an operator.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the threshold value is fallen below, exclusively the driver assistance system takes over at least partially control of the motor vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein when the threshold value is fallen below, exclusively a partially autonomous motor vehicle control system takes over at least partially control of the motor vehicle.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the navigation means is a steering wheel or a control stick or a joystick.

11. A method for controlling a motor vehicle in road traffic comprises the steps of:

sensing a force, such as a compressive force, or a tensile force or a torsional force, exerted on a sensor of a navigation means,

evaluating a signal from the sensor by an evaluation unit,

putting into operation or taking out of operation a driver assistance system when a threshold value is exceeded or fallen below; and

activating a controller when the threshold value is exceeded or fallen below;

wherein control of the motor vehicle taken over at least partially by the driver assistance system is transferred by the controller to a manual control of the motor vehicle by an operator or the manual control of the motor vehicle by the controller is transferred into the at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method is directed to controlling an automobile in road traffic.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the transfer of the manual control of the motor vehicle into the at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system or the transfer of the at least partial control of the motor vehicle by the driver assistance system into the manual control is accomplished by an integrally acting controller function of the controller.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the integrally acting controller function together with a time-delayed first order controlled system or a time-delaying second-order non-oscillatory controlled system forms a control circuit.