Autonomous lane control system

• US 9,187,117 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Spero, Dorian Jack, Pilutti, Thomas Edward, Rupp, Matthew Y., Joh, Peter Gyumyeong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US13/351,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20130184926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,400 Days
• Field of Search: 701/26, 701/1, 701/8, 701/41, 701/93, 701/96, 701/408, 701/414, 701300-302, 340/435, 340/436, 340/903
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• 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 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 from vehicle to occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/28 non-mechanical , e.g. following a line or other known markers
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/286 Systems for interrupting non-mechanical steering due to driver intervention
• 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 15/0255 Automatic changing of lane, e.g. for passing another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 : Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635

Abstract

An autonomous control system for a vehicle that controls the speed and steering system of the vehicle to operate in a lane-keeping mode or a lane-changing mode. Position sensors sense the location of surrounding vehicles. A lane determining system identifies a current lane where the vehicle is located. A source of oncoming lane course data provides information as to the course of the current lane. A controller provides instructions to the steering system and speed control system to maneuver the vehicle in either the lane-keeping mode or the lane-changing mode. The driver may override the control system by providing a manual input to the steering system or the speed control system.

Claims

1. An autonomous lane-keeping system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a sensor configured to determine a position of a preceding vehicle and to provide a following distance signal;

an accelerometer configured to sense a curvature of a roadway and to generate a signal representing the roadway curvature;

a lane determining system configured to identify a current lane in which the motor vehicle is travelling and to provide a lane-assignment signal;

a source of oncoming lane course data configured to provide information as to the course of the current lane;

a controller configured to calculate a path for the motor vehicle and provide a series of steering instructions based on the following distance signal, the lane-assignment signal, the roadway curvature signal, and the oncoming lane course data; and

a steering system configured to automatically maneuver the vehicle based upon the series of steering instructions.

2. The lane keeping system of claim 1, further comprising a brake sensor configured to sense an activation of a brake, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the brake sensor sensing the activation of the brake, transfer steering and accelerator control to a user.

3. The lane keeping system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a vehicle merging onto a current roadway, and wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the sensor detecting the vehicle merging onto the current roadway, calculate an override path and provide an override series of steering instructions to override the lane keeping function and execute an automatic lane change.

4. A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

providing the vehicle with an autonomous lane keeping system including a sensor configured to detect a target vehicle, a lane-determining system configured to identify a current driving lane, a source of oncoming lane course data, and a steering system;

controlling the vehicle in a lane-keeping mode wherein the steering system automatically maneuvers the vehicle to maintain a current lane, the controlling being in response to a following distance signal from the sensor, a lane-assignment signal from the lane-determining system, and current-lane information from the source; and

in response to a detected merging vehicle, automatically overriding the lane-keeping mode and controlling the vehicle in a lane-changing mode to execute an automatic lane change.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein controlling the vehicle in a lane-keeping mode includes calculating a set of steering instructions based on a detected position of a preceding vehicle, a detected roadway curvature, a detected current lane, and a course of the current lane.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the detected roadway curvature comprises a current roadway curvature based on a yaw value and an upcoming roadway curvature based on navigation system data.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to a user actuation of an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal, discontinue controlling the vehicle in the lane-keeping mode.

8. A vehicle comprising:

a steering system;

a sensor configured to detect a merging vehicle; and

at least one controller configured to control the steering system in a first mode according to an autonomous lane-keeping function to maintain a current lane and, in response to the sensor detecting a merging vehicle, control the steering system in a second mode to automatically change lanes.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a navigation system and an accelerometer configured to detect a yaw value, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a current roadway curvature based on a current yaw value from the accelerometer and determine an upcoming roadway curvature based on mapping data associated with the navigation system, and wherein in the first mode the controller determines lane-keeping path data based on the current roadway curvature and the upcoming roadway curvature.

10. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a visual sensor in communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to determine a current lane based on at least one lane marker detected by the visual sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to a user actuation of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, discontinue control of the steering system in the first mode or the second mode.