Apparatus and method of controlling automatic driving of vehicle

• US 9,216,746 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ham, Jun Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/218,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0062 Adapting control system settings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• 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 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• 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: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0274 using mapping information stored in a memory device navigation using map-matching G01C21/30
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0278 using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus and a method of controlling automatic driving of a vehicle, which adjust an operation mode of a map-supported system to a limited operation, a normal operation, and an emergent operation according to a driving situation for a safe operation of a map-supported driving assistance or automatic driving system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling automatic driving of a vehicle, comprising:

an input unit configured to receive a command for an automatic driving control of a vehicle from a driver;

wherein in response to the driver'"'"'s command, the apparatus is configured to determine whether the automatic driving control of the vehicle using road information is available; and

an automatic driving control unit configured to control the automatic driving of the vehicle in a navigation-sensor control mode using data from at least one vehicle sensor and data from a navigation device when it is determined that the automatic driving control using road information is available, and configured to control the automatic driving of the vehicle in a sensor control mode using data from the at least one vehicle sensor without using data from the navigation device when it is determined that the automatic driving control using road information is unavailable,

wherein the navigation-sensor control mode comprises a first control stage and a second control stage, the first control stage lacking at least one control feature using data from the navigation device that is available in the second control stage,

wherein in the navigation-sensor control mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to run the first control stage first and switch to the second control stage at a later time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine whether the automatic driving control using road information is available based on any one of whether GPS information is received, whether the vehicle is located in a service area, and whether there is a driver'"'"'s request.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an automatic control releasing unit configured to output an alert message when at least one of predetermined events is detected, and configured to release the automatic driving control of the vehicle when the at least one detected event continues even after a predetermined time elapses since the detection, wherein the predetermined events comprise GPS signals unavailable, the vehicle driving outside a service area, the driver intercepting steering of the vehicle, and detection of an obstacle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an automatic control change unit configured to output an alert message when at least one of predetermined events is detected, and configured to control the automatic driving of the vehicle using the vehicle sensor without using the navigation device when the at least one detected event continues even after a predetermined time elapses since the detection, wherein the predetermined events comprise initializing a driving route, searching a driving route, lane deviation and uncontrollable inter-vehicular distance.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to run the first control stage for a predetermined period and then switch to the second control stage after the predetermined period.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to switch from the first control stage to the second control stage after driving a predetermined distance.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to switch from the first control stage to the second control stage when the vehicle'"'"'s speed reaches a predetermined value.

8. A method of controlling automatic driving of a vehicle, comprising:

receiving a driver'"'"'s command for an automatic driving control of a vehicle;

in response to the driver'"'"'s command, determining whether the automatic driving control using road information is available;

controlling the automatic driving of the vehicle in a navigation-sensor control mode using data from at least one vehicle sensor and data from a navigation device when it is determined that the automatic driving control using road information is available; and

controlling the automatic driving of the vehicle in a sensor control mode using data from the at least one vehicle sensor without using data from the navigation device when it is determined that the automatic driving control using road information is unavailable,

wherein the navigation-sensor control mode comprises a first control stage and a second control stage, the first control stage lacking at least one control feature using data from the navigation device that is available in the second control stage,

wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, an automatic driving control unit runs the first control stage first and switches to the second control stage at a later time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the availability of the automatic driving control using road information is based on any one of whether GPS information is received, whether the vehicle is in a service area, and whether there is a driver'"'"'s request.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

outputting an alert message when at least one of predetermined events is detected, and

releasing the automatic driving control of the vehicle when the at least one detected event continues even after a predetermined time elapses since the detection,

wherein the predetermined events comprise GPS signals unavailable, the vehicle driving outside a service area the driver intercepting steering of the vehicle, and detection of an obstacle.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

outputting an alert message when at least one of predetermined events is detected, and

controlling the automatic driving of the vehicle using the vehicle sensor without using the navigation device when at least one detected event continues even after a predetermined time elapses since the detection,

wherein the predetermined events comprise initializing a driving rout, searching a driving route, lane deviation and uncontrollable inter-vehicular distance.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to run the first control stage for a predetermined period and then switch to the second control stage after the predetermined period.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to switch from the first control stage to the second control stage after driving a predetermined distance.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein in the navigation-sensor mode, the automatic driving control unit is configured to switch from the first control stage to the second control stage when the vehicle'"'"'s speed reaches a predetermined value.