Automated vehicle control with time to take-over compensation

• US 9,727,056 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2015
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sun, Ludong, Vijayan, Indu, Lambermont, Serge, Middleton, Ryan S., Laur, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jos, Basil T
• Application Number:
  US14/748,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20160378114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/223 Posture, e.g. hand, foot, or seat position, turned or inclined
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/225 Direction of gaze
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• 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 60/0057 Estimation of the time available or required for the handover
• 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: G05B 13/026 using a predictor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A system for changing a control-mode of an automated vehicle from automated-control to manual-control includes an operator-detection device and a controller. The operator-detection device is operable to detect a readiness-state of an operator of a vehicle while a control-mode of the vehicle is automated-control. The controller is configured to forecast a future-time when the control-mode of the vehicle should change from automated-control to manual-control and determine a take-over-interval for an operator to assume manual-control of the vehicle once notified. The take-over-interval is determined based on the readiness-state. The controller is also configured to notify the operator that the control-mode of the vehicle should change from automated-control to manual-control no later than the take-over-interval prior to the future-time.

Claims

1. A system for changing a control-mode of an automated vehicle from automated-control to manual-control, said system comprising:

an operator-detection device operable to detect a readiness-state of an operator of a vehicle while a control-mode of the vehicle is automated-control;

a controller configured to forecast a future-time when the control-mode of the vehicle should change from automated-control to manual-control, determine a take-over-interval for an operator to assume manual-control of the vehicle once notified, wherein the take-over-interval is determined based on the readiness-state, and notify the operator that the control-mode of the vehicle should change from automated-control to manual-control no later than the take-over-interval prior to the future-time, wherein the controller is configured to operate the vehicle in accordance with control-parameters when the control-mode of the vehicle is automated-control and the readiness-state of the operator is ready, and the control-parameters are modified when the readiness-state of the operator is not-ready to allow for an increase of the take-over-interval.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the readiness-state is determined based on body-orientation of the operator.

3. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the body-orientation is determined based on a foot-position of a foot of the operator.

4. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the body-orientation is determined based on a facing-direction of the operator.

5. The system in accordance with claim 2, wherein the body-orientation is determined based on a head-pose of the operator.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the readiness-state is determined based on a distraction-level of the operator.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the distraction-level is increased when the operator attends to a child present in the vehicle.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the increase of the take-over-interval is realized by one of increased following-distance and decreased travel-speed.