Robotic driving system

• US 9,302,678 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Dynamics Robotic Systems, Robotic Research OPCO LLC
• Original Assignee: General Dynamics Robotic Systems, Robotic Research LLC
• Inventors: Murphy, Karl, Lacaze, Alberto, Del Giorno, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): MUSTAFA, IMRAN K
• Application Number:
  US11/867,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,106 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/024 in combination with a laser lasers per se H01S
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0246 using a video camera in combination with image processing means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0251 extracting 3D information from a plurality of images taken from different locations, e.g. stereo vision stereoscopic image analysis H04N13/00; depth recovery from images G06T7/593
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0257 using a radar radar systems designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicle and fixed obstacles G01S13/931
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• 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

A system that enables a vehicle to follow a traffic rule when traveling in a road network includes a database that stores data relating to at least one feature of the road network, a location detector that detects a location of the vehicle relative to the road network, a sensor that senses at least one object in a vicinity of the vehicle, and a processing system that controls the vehicle to autonomously obey at least one traffic rule, or provides a notification to a driver of the vehicle to enable the driver to obey at least one traffic rule, based on the detected location of the vehicle, data retrieved from the database relating to at least one feature of the road network, and data relating to at least one object sensed by the sensor.

Claims

1. A system that enables a vehicle to follow a traffic rule while traveling in a road network, comprising:

a database that stores data relating to at least one feature of the road network;

a location detector that detects a location of the vehicle relative to the road network;

a plurality of sensors, including at least one sensor that senses at least one object in a vicinity of the vehicle; and

a processing system that controls the vehicle to autonomously obey at least one traffic rule, or provides a notification to a driver of the vehicle to enable the driver to obey at least one traffic rule, based on the detected location of the vehicle, data retrieved from the database relating to at least one feature of the road network, and data relating to at least one object sensed by the sensors, wherein

the object sensed is an obstruction,

the processing system includes a memory which stores a plurality of lookup tables, each of the lookup tables receive different data from a corresponding and different one of the plurality of sensors representing a corresponding condition local to the vehicle, where at least one corresponding condition represents data of the obstruction, and outputs a maximum safe speed, for each lookup table, based on the received data from each of the different sensors, the plurality of lookup tables comprises at least one of a vehicle congestion speed lookup table, a weather condition lookup table, and a road condition lookup table; and

the processing system selects the minimum of all of the maximum safe speeds outputted by the lookup tables, and controls the vehicle speed not to exceed the selected minimum speed and to avoid the obstruction based upon data from the lookup tables and the sensed distance of the vehicle from the obstruction.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to a right of way.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to at least one of a traffic light and a road sign.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to at least one of a dangerous intersection and an alley.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to a pedestrian or an animal.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to a traffic lane.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to turning.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to parking.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the data retrieved from the database relates to the detected location of the vehicle and comprises at least one of a location of a potential pedestrian crossing, a sidewalk, a road, a driveway, an alley, a stop sign, a yield sign, an intersection, a roundabout, a traffic signal, a traffic lane, and a railroad crossing.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensed object additionally comprises at least one of a sidewalk, a pedestrian crossing light, another vehicle, a bicycle, an intersection, a roundabout, a traffic signal, a road sign, a school bus, a traffic lane, a weather condition, a railroad crossing, an animal, a bicycle lane, a curb, and a slope of a road.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a road planner module, a moving obstacle detection and prediction module, a static obstacle detection module, a street feature retrieve/store module, and a traffic rule enforcement module.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors determine a number and speed of other vehicles and provide traffic congestion condition data to the vehicle congestion speed lookup table, and the vehicle congestion speed lookup table outputs a maximum safe speed based on the traffic congestion condition data.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors determine a weather condition and provide weather condition data to the weather condition lookup table, and the weather condition lookup table outputs a maximum safe speed based on the weather condition data.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors determine a road condition and provide road condition data to the road condition lookup table, and the road condition lookup table outputs a maximum safe speed based on the road condition data.

15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the obstruction comprises a pedestrian.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the processing system controls the vehicle to avoid an intersection between the vehicle and the pedestrian.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing system determines a stopping distance to avoid the obstruction.

18. The system according to claim 1, the plurality of sensors being configured to detect at least one feature of the road and the processing system being configured to change a speed or direction of the vehicle based on the detected feature of the road.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to control the vehicle, based at least upon the received data, to determine an appropriate stopping distance of the vehicle.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to control the vehicle to maintain a minimum speed, based at least upon the data relating to at least one feature of the road network.

21. The system according to claim 1, the at least one feature of the road network comprises a road surface quality in the vicinity of the vehicle.

22. The system according to claim 1, the at least one feature of the road network comprises a curvature of the road in the vicinity of the vehicle.

23. The system according to claim 1, wherein, when the minimum of all of the maximum safe speeds selected by the processing system is a speed less than the current speed of the vehicle, the processing system determines a location at which to begin slowing down the vehicle so that the vehicle does not exceed the selected minimum speed upon reaching the obstruction.

24. The system according to claim 7, wherein the processing system activates a turn signal of the vehicle when the at least one traffic rule relates to turning.

25. A system according to claim 1, wherein, when the object sensed in the vicinity of the vehicle comprises another vehicle or a pedestrian, the processing system controls at least one of the speed and direction of the vehicle to avoid a collision with the another vehicle or with the pedestrian.

26. A method of enabling a vehicle to follow a traffic rule when traveling in a road network, comprising:

detecting, by a location detector, a location of the vehicle relative to the road network;

retrieving data from a database relating to at least one feature of the road network;

sensing, by at least one sensor of a plurality of sensors, at least one object in a vicinity of the vehicle;

controlling the vehicle, by a processing system, to autonomously obey at least one traffic rule, or provide a notification to a driver of the vehicle to enable the driver to obey at least one traffic rule, based on the detected location of the vehicle, the retrieved data relating to at least one feature of the road network, and data relating to the at least one sensed object, where the sensed object is an obstruction;

providing, from each of the sensors, different data representing a corresponding condition local to the vehicle to each of a plurality of lookup tables stored in a memory of the processing system, where at least one corresponding condition represents data of the obstruction;

outputting, from each of the lookup tables, a maximum safe speed based on the data provided from each of the corresponding sensors, the plurality of lookup tables comprises at least one of a vehicle congestion speed lookup table, a weather condition lookup table, and a road condition lookup table;

selecting, by the processing system, the minimum of all of the maximum safe speeds outputted by the lookup tables; and

controlling the vehicle not to exceed the selected minimum speed, by the processing system and to avoid the obstruction based upon data from the lookup tables and the sensed distance of the vehicle from the obstruction.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to at least one of a right of way, roundabouts, mountain roads, traffic lights, road signs, dangerous intersections, alleys, railroads, pedestrians, animals, traffic lanes, turning and parking.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a program of instructions for execution by a computer to enable a vehicle to follow a traffic rule when traveling in a road network, comprising:

retrieving data relating to at least one feature of the road network from a database; and

controlling the vehicle to autonomously obey at least one traffic rule, or providing a notification to a driver of the vehicle to enable the driver to obey at least one traffic rule, based on a location of the vehicle, the retrieved data relating to at least one feature of the road network, and data relating to at least one object sensed in a vicinity of the vehicle,

wherein the at least one object sensed is an obstruction,

the controlling provides different data representing a corresponding condition local to the vehicle to each of a plurality of lookup tables, where at least one corresponding condition represents data of the obstruction, retrieves from each of the lookup tables a maximum safe speed based on the provided data from each of the sensors, from each of the different sensors, the plurality of lookup tables comprises at least one of a vehicle congestion speed lookup table, a weather condition lookup table, and a road condition lookup table selects the minimum of all of the maximum safe speeds outputted by the lookup tables, and controls the vehicle not to exceed the selected minimum speed and to avoid the obstruction based upon data from the lookup tables and the sensed distance of the vehicle from the obstruction.

29. The computer-readable medium according to claim 28, wherein the at least one traffic rule comprises a traffic rule relating to at least one of a right of way, a roundabout, a mountain road, a traffic light, a road sign, a dangerous intersection, an alley, a railroad crossing, a pedestrian, an animal, a traffic lane, turning and parking.

30. The computer-readable medium according to claim 28, wherein the data retrieved from the database relates to a detected location of the vehicle and comprises at least one of a location of a potential pedestrian crossing, a sidewalk, a road, a driveway, an alley, a stop sign, a yield sign, an intersection, a roundabout, a traffic signal, a traffic lane and a railroad crossing.

31. The computer-readable medium according to claim 28, wherein the sensed object additionally comprises at least one of a sidewalk, a pedestrian crossing light, a vehicle, a bicycle, an intersection, a roundabout, a traffic signal, a road sign, a school bus, a traffic lane, a weather condition, a railroad crossing, an animal, a bicycle lane, a curb and a slope of a road.