GPS based learned control event prediction

• US 9,321,441 B1
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Shah, Ankit, Chanda, Hirak, McCormick, Troy, Farrell, Anthony, Brochu, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goldman, Richard
• Application Number:
  US14/547,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20160137173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/824 Travel path sensing; Track monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/36 self-locking in an emergency B60R22/3405 , B60R22/343 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/04 Hill descent control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/06 Hill holder; Start aid systems on inclined road
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/122 Pre-actuation in case of ESP control
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/16 Curve braking control, e.g. turn control within ABS control algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/174 characterised by using special control logic, e.g. fuzzy logic , neural computing
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/22 Suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/085 Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 : Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3822 : Road feature data, e.g. slope data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3848 : Data obtained from both position sensors and additional sensors

Abstract

A global positioning signal based learned control event prediction method and apparatus includes a learning auxiliary module connected to a communication bus of a vehicle. The arrangement stores events and event locations using global positioning signals for a vehicle traveling along a path. When the vehicle travels the same path a second time, the detected events and event locations are determined. When the events match at the same event locations, a predictive action is determined for a future occurrence of the vehicle approaching the event location. Thus, as the vehicle approaches the event location, the predictive action, for example pre-filling of the vehicle brakes or pre-tensioning of the seat belts occurs.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and predicting events for a vehicle that routinely drives a known path comprising:

determining particular locations of the vehicle along the known path based on global positioning signals;

sensing events along the known path with sensors on the vehicle;

matching and storing the events for particular locations of the vehicle as determined from the global positioning signals;

learning a particular event location from repeated sensing of the same event at the same particular location;

determining and storing a predictive action for the vehicle based on the events for the particular event location; and

providing a control signal to begin performance of the predictive action when the vehicle is at least one of a certain time and predetermined distance from the event location.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predictive action comprises at least one of:

a) pre-filling of brakes, b) pre-tensioning of seat belts, c) enabling a stability control to an ON state when the stability control is initially in an OFF state, d) providing a warning to a vehicle operator, e) selecting thresholds and control parameters for a specific terrain, and f) adjusting or modifying a threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1, including the step of receiving wireless signals from nearby vehicles that include particular event locations and corresponding predictive actions.

4. The method according to claim 3, including the step of transmitting wireless signals to nearby vehicles that include particular event locations and corresponding predictive actions.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the particular event location is a blind curve and the predictive action is providing a warning to a vehicle operator before the particular event location is approached.

6. The method according to claim 1, including the steps of:

sensing stationary objects near the vehicle with radar; and

learning the presence of stationary objects at a particular location from repeatedly sensing the same stationary object at the same location,

wherein accuracy of the particular location of the vehicle along the known path is based on the global positioning signals and the presence of learned stationary objects.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the event comprises at least one of an anti-lock brake system event, a traction control event, a stability control event, an electronic brake force distribution event, a hill hold control event, a hill descent control event, a trailer sway control event, a banked curve event, a wheel lift control event, a sharp turn event, an axle deflection event and an off road terrain event.

8. The method according to claim 1, including determining and storing a direction that the vehicle is traveling on the known path, and providing the control signal to begin performance of the predictive action when the vehicle is approaching the event location in the stored direction.

9. A global positioning signal based learned control event prediction system comprising a learning auxiliary module secured on a vehicle, the learning auxiliary module configured to:

receive stability information signals from a stability control module and for sending stability control signals to the stability control module;

receive engine information signals from an engine control module and to transmit engine control signals to engine control module;

receive transmission information signals from a transmission module and to transmit transmission control signals to the transmission module;

receive information signals from an airbag/ORC (Occupant Restraint Control) control module and to transmit airbag/ORC control signals to the airbag/ORC control module; and

receive global positioning signals from a global positioning signal module for determining a location of the vehicle,

wherein the learning auxiliary module identifies significant events at particular locations along a known path and when the same significant event occurs multiple times at a particular location, the learning auxiliary module stores the event location for the learned event, the learned event, and determines and stores a predictive action corresponding to the learned event in a memory of the learning auxiliary module, and

wherein as the vehicle approaches one of the particular event locations, the learning auxiliary module provides an output to cause a corresponding predictive action before the vehicle is at the particular event location.

10. The prediction system according to claim 9, wherein the memory storing the event location and storing the corresponding predictive action comprises a non-volatile memory.

11. The prediction system according to claim 9, wherein the predictive action comprises at least one of:

a) pre-filling of brakes, b) pre-tensioning of seat belts, c) enabling a stability control to an ON state when the stability control is initially in an OFF state, d) providing a warning to a vehicle operator, e) selecting thresholds and control parameters for a specific terrain, and f) adjusting or modifying a threshold.

12. The prediction system according to claim 9, wherein the learning auxiliary module is configured to receive and transmit wireless signals via a vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver module to other vehicles, the wireless signals including information provided from respective learning auxiliary modules.

13. The prediction system according to claim 9, wherein the event comprises at least one of an anti-lock brake system event, a traction control event, a stability control event, an electronic brake force distribution event, a hill hold control event, a hill descent control event, a trailer sway control event, a banked curve event, a wheel lift control event, a sharp turn event, an axle deflection event and an off road terrain event.

14. The prediction system according to claim 9, wherein the learning auxiliary module is configured to determine and store a direction that the vehicle is traveling on the known path, and to provide the control signal to begin performance of the predictive action when the vehicle is approaching the event location in the stored direction.

15. A global positioning signal based learned control event prediction system provided with a vehicle, comprising:

a learning auxiliary module;

a stability control module for providing stability information signals to the learning auxiliary module and for receiving stability control signals from the learning auxiliary module;

an engine control module for providing engine information signals to the learning auxiliary module and for receiving engine control signals;

a transmission module for providing transmission information signals to the learning auxiliary module and for receiving transmission control signals from the learning auxiliary module;

an airbag/ORC (Occupant Restraint Control) control module for providing information signals to the learning auxiliary module and for receiving airbag/ORC control signals from the learning auxiliary module; and

a global position signal module for receiving global positioning signals and providing location signals to the learning auxiliary module,

wherein the learning auxiliary module stores significant events at particular locations along a known path and when the same significant event occurs multiple times, a learned event is stored in a memory of the learning auxiliary module, and

wherein the learning auxiliary module determines and stores a predictive action for the learned event at the event location.

16. The prediction system of claim 15, further comprising a vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver module for receiving information from the learning auxiliary module and transmitting the information via wireless signals to the learning auxiliary modules of other vehicles, the vehicle-to-vehicle transceiver module receiving wireless signals with information from other vehicles and providing the information to the learning auxiliary module.

17. The prediction system of claim 15, wherein the predictive action comprises at least one of:

a) pre-filling of brakes, b) pre-tensioning of seat belts, c) enabling a stability control to an ON state when the stability control is initially in an OFF state, d) providing a warning to a vehicle operator, e) selecting thresholds and control parameters for a specific terrain, and f) adjusting or modifying a threshold.

18. The prediction system of claim 15, wherein the event comprises at least one of an anti-lock brake system event, a traction control event, a stability control event, an electronic brake force distribution event, a hill hold control event, a hill descent control event, a trailer sway control event, a banked curve event, a wheel lift control event, a sharp turn event, an axle deflection event and an off road terrain event.

19. The prediction system of claim 15, the system further comprising an audio module, and wherein the particular event location is a blind curve and the learning auxiliary module provides a control signal to the audio module, wherein the audio module performs the predictive action of providing warning to a vehicle operator before the particular event location is approached.

20. The prediction system of claim 15, wherein the learning auxiliary module is configured to determine and store a direction that the vehicle is traveling on the known path, and to provide the control signal to begin performance of the predictive action when the vehicle is approaching the event location in the stored direction.