Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics

• US 9,643,616 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2014
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lu, Norman N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hilgendorf, Dale W
• Application Number:
  US14/458,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20160046170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/04 Automatic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2260/06 Active Suspension System
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/17551 determining control parameters related to vehicle stability used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/22 including control of suspension systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/30 Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 Control of vehicle driving stability
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/045 Improving turning performance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18181 Propulsion control with common controlling member for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/0457 characterised by control features of the drive means as such

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing predictive vehicle dynamics are described herein. Accordingly, embodiments of a method may include predicting a route of a vehicle, determining a route feature along the route, and determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route. Some embodiments may include determining an adjustment to a vehicle performance characteristic to be made in anticipation of the route feature at the user-desired speed and implementing the adjustment on a vehicle system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing predictive vehicle dynamics comprising:

determining driving patterns of a user;

predicting, by a computing device, a route of a vehicle;

determining, by the computing device, a route feature along the route;

predicting, by the computing device, driver intent for traversing the route feature, wherein predicting driver intent includes determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route and route feature based on previously determined driving patterns of the user;

determining, by the computing device, an adjustment to a vehicle performance characteristic to be made in anticipation of the route feature at the user-desired speed, wherein the adjustment to the vehicle performance characteristic includes preloading a vehicle system; and

implementing, by the computing device, the adjustment on the vehicle system of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the route feature comprises at least one of the following:

a road condition and a vehicle condition.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that the route feature has been passed by the vehicle; and

returning, by the computing device, the vehicle to a normal driving condition mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the route feature along the route is performed at one of the following:

prior to encountering the route feature and after encountering the route feature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-desired speed is determined from previously determined user driving habits.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the adjustment to the vehicle performance characteristic comprises adjusting at least one of the following:

a braking system, a restraint system, a transmission system, an audio/video system, an electronic power steering (EPS) system, a suspension system, and a traction control system.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the route of the vehicle comprises receiving a signal from at least one of the following:

a positioning system and a vehicle sensor.

8. A system for providing predictive vehicle dynamics comprising:

a vehicle sensor;

a plurality of vehicle systems;

a processor that is coupled to the vehicle sensor and the plurality of vehicle systems; and

a memory component that is coupled to the processor, the memory component storing logic that when executed by the processor, causes the system to perform at least the following;

determining driving patterns of a user;

determine a route of a vehicle;

determine a route feature along the route;

predict driver intent for traversing the route feature, wherein predicting driver intent includes determining a user-desired speed for traversing the and route feature based on previously determined driving patterns of the driver;

determine at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems to preload to accommodate for the route feature, such that the vehicle traverses the route feature at the user-desired speed; and

preload the at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems that enables the vehicle to traverse the route feature at the user-desired speed.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of vehicle systems comprises a positioning system, wherein the positioning system is utilized to determine the route of the vehicle and wherein the positioning system is utilized to determine the route feature along the route.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein adjusting the at least one of the plurality of vehicle systems includes preloading at least one of the following:

a braking system, a restraint system, a transmission system, an electronic power steering (EPS) system, a suspension system, and a traction control system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the logic further causes the system to return the vehicle to a normal driving condition mode after the vehicle passes the route feature.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the route feature comprises at least one of the following:

a road condition and a vehicle condition.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle sensor comprises at least one of the following:

millimeter-wave radar, a laser sensor, and an image capture device.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the route feature comprises a vehicle condition, wherein the logic further causes the system to determine a new route to address the vehicle condition and utilize the new route for addressing the vehicle condition.

15. A vehicle for providing predictive vehicle dynamics comprising:

a vehicle sensor;

a plurality of vehicle systems; and

a vehicle computing device that includes a memory component that includes logic that, when executed by a processor, causes the vehicle computing device to perform at least the following;

determine driving patterns of a driver, based on past driving by the driver;

determine a route feature along a route of the vehicle;

predict driver intent for traversing the route feature, wherein predicting driver intent includes determining a user-desired speed for traversing the route and route feature based on the driving patterns of the driver;

determine which of the plurality of vehicle systems to preload to accommodate for the route feature at the user-desired speed;

preload the determined vehicle system;

determine that the vehicle has passed the route feature; and

return the vehicle system to a normal driving condition mode.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the vehicle system comprises a positioning system, wherein the positioning system is utilized to determine the route of the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the vehicle system includes at least one of the following:

a braking system, a restraint system, a transmission system, an audio/video system, an electronic power steering (EPS) system, a suspension system, and a traction control system.

18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the route feature comprises at least one of the following:

a road condition and a vehicle condition.

19. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the vehicle sensor comprises at least one of the following:

millimeter-wave radar, a laser sensor, and an image capture device.

20. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the route feature comprises a vehicle condition, wherein the logic further causes the vehicle computing device to determine a new route to address the vehicle condition and utilize the new route for addressing the vehicle condition.