Method and system for controlling a speed of a vehicle

• US 9,248,837 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2015
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chakravarty, Tapas, Chowdhury, Arijit, Purushothaman, Balamuralidhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US14/619,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 356 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a speed of a vehicle. Acceleration data comprising acceleration samples of the vehicle on a segment of the road is captured. Jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on the segment is computed based upon the acceleration samples. Median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment may be determined based upon the jerk energy values. Predictive median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment is computed using a statistical equation. A score associated with the segment is calculated based upon the median jerk energy, the predictive median jerk energy, and a standard deviation (σ). The segment is classified into one of a first set of categories and a second set of categories based upon the score. A feedback signal indicative of controlling the speed of the vehicle is transmitted to a controller based upon the classification.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a speed of a vehicle on a road, the method comprising:

dividing a road into a plurality of segments;

providing a vehicle having a controller including a processor and a non-transitory memory;

capturing, in real time, acceleration data of the vehicle on the road for a segment of the plurality of segments, wherein the acceleration data includes acceleration samples captured on the segment of the plurality of segments;

computing jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on the segment based upon the acceleration samples;

determining a median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment based upon the jerk energy values;

computing a predictive median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment using a statistical equation;

calculating a score associated with the segment based upon the median jerk energy, the predictive median jerk energy, and a standard deviation;

classifying the segment into one of a first set of categories or a second set of categories based upon the score; and

transmitting a feedback signal to the controller of the vehicle, wherein the feedback signal is indicative of one of reducing, increasing, or retaining the speed of the vehicle on the segment of the road based upon a classification of the segment into the first or the second set of categories, and wherein the capturing, the computing the jerk energy values, the determining the median jerk energy, the computing the predictive median jerk energy, the calculating the score, the classifying, and the transmitting are performed by the processor using a set of instructions stored in the memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a sensor, and wherein the acceleration data is captured from the sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the statistical equation is based on a regression statistical technique, and wherein the statistical equation is, v=a−

b*u+c*u², wherein “

v”

indicates the predictive median jerk energy, wherein “

u”

indicates an average speed of the vehicle, and wherein “

a,”

“

b,” and

“

c”

indicate constant numerical values.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the statistical equation is obtained by:

capturing reference acceleration data of the vehicle on a reference road divided into a plurality of reference segments, wherein the reference acceleration data includes reference acceleration samples captured on each of the plurality of reference segments of the reference road;

determining a reference average speed of the vehicle on each reference segment;

computing reference jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on each reference segment based upon the reference acceleration samples;

determining a reference median jerk energy of the vehicle on each reference segment based upon the jerk energy values;

deriving the statistical equation representing a statistical relationship between the reference median jerk energy and the reference average speed for each segment, wherein the statistical equation is derived based upon the reference median jerk energy, the reference average speed, and the standard deviation, and wherein the statistical equation is a measure of vibration caused to the vehicle on each reference segment depending on the reference median jerk energy value and the reference average speed, and wherein the standard deviation indicates variance in the measure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the score is calculated by dividing a difference of the median jerk energy value and the reference median jerk energy value with the standard deviation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment is classified into the first set of categories when the score is greater than 0.5, and wherein the speed is reduced when the segment is classified into the first set of categories.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment is classified into the second set of categories when the score is less than or equal to 0.5, and wherein the speed is increased or retained when the segment is classified into the second set of categories.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the reducing, the increasing, or the retaining of the speed of the vehicle on the segment of the road is also based upon the classification of one or more segments of the plurality of segments preceding the segment on the road.

9. A system for controlling a speed of a vehicle on a road, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory memory coupled to the processor, wherein the processor is configured for executing a plurality of modules stored in the memory, and wherein the plurality of modules comprises;

a jerk computation module that;

captures, in real time, acceleration data of a vehicle on a road divided into a plurality of segments, wherein the acceleration data comprises acceleration samples captured on a segment of the plurality of segments of the road,

computes jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on the segment based upon the acceleration samples, and

determines a median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment based upon the jerk energy values; and

a speed control module that;

computes a predictive median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment using a statistical equation,

calculates a score associated with the segment based upon the median jerk energy, the predictive median jerk energy, and a standard deviation,

classifies the segment into one of a first set of categories or a second set of categories based upon the score, and

transmits a feedback signal to a controller of the vehicle, wherein

the feedback signal is indicative of one of reducing, increasing, or retaining the speed of the vehicle on the segment of the road based upon the classification of the segment into the first or the second set of categories.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for controlling a speed of a vehicle on a road, the computer program comprising a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising instructions for:

capturing, in real time, acceleration data of a vehicle on a road divided into a plurality of segments, wherein the acceleration data includes acceleration samples captured on a segment of the plurality of segments of the road;

computing jerk energy values associated with the vehicle on the segment based upon the acceleration samples;

determining a median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment based upon the jerk energy values;

computing predictive median jerk energy of the vehicle on the segment using a statistical equation;

calculating a score associated with the segment based upon the median jerk energy, the predictive median jerk energy, and a standard deviation;

classifying the segment into one of a first set of categories or a second set of categories based upon the score; and

transmitting a feedback signal to a controller of the vehicle, wherein the feedback signal is indicative of one of reducing, increasing, or retaining the speed of the vehicle on the segment of the road based upon the classification of the segment into the first or the second set of categories.