Dynamic lane positioning for improved biker safety

• US 9,771,071 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2015
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hassani, Ali, Hoellerbauer, Jakob Nikolaus, Dutta, Arun, Groh, Alexander, Llado, Pol, Schmotzer, John William
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/945,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20170144657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4026 Cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4041 Position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/80 Spatial relation or speed relative to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• 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 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/30 Auxiliary equipments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2900/00 Indexing codes relating to the purpose of, or problem solved of road vehicle drive control systems not otherwise provided for in groups B60W30/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/09 Taking automatic action to avoid collision, e.g. braking and steering
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0953 the prediction being responsive to vehicle dynamic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/0956 the prediction being responsive to traffic or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18163 Lane change; Overtaking manoeuvres

Abstract

A vehicle includes a steering wheel and a controller. The controller is configured to, in response to receiving location and speed data from other vehicles indicating an expected collision absent a trajectory change, automatically control the steering wheel to direct the vehicle along a collision avoidance path. The collision avoidance path is based on map data identifying a marking type for a traveling lane such that the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken and does not cross the lane when the marking type is solid.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a controller configured to, in response to receiving location and speed data from other vehicles indicating an expected collision absent a trajectory change, steer a vehicle to avoid the collision on a path that is based on map data identifying a marking type for a traveling lane such that the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken and does not cross the lane when the marking type is solid.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate an alert of the steering.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert is haptic feedback that is provided on an area of a steering wheel in a direction of the path.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert is an audible tone having a constant frequency.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the alert is a visual status indicator light within the vehicle.

6. A vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel; and

a controller configured to, in response to receiving location and speed data from other vehicles indicating an expected collision absent a trajectory change, automatically control the steering wheel to direct the vehicle along a collision avoidance path that is based on map data identifying a marking type for a traveling lane such that the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken and does not cross the lane when the marking type is solid.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 further comprising a dedicated short range communication transceiver configured to receive the location and speed data.

8. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response receiving stop light status data, adjust the collision avoidance path to account for the stop light status data.

9. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to, in response to the marking type being solid, brake the vehicle.

10. A control method for a vehicle comprising:

in response to receiving data from other vehicles indicating an expected collision absent a trajectory change, automatically steering the vehicle to avoid the collision on a path that is based on data identifying a marking type for a traveling lane such that the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken and does not cross the lane when the marking type is solid.

11. The control method of claim 10, wherein the path crosses the lane when the marking type is broken into an adjacent lane.

12. The control method of claim 10, wherein the path is such that a position of the vehicle is biased within the traveling lane to avoid the expected collision.

13. The control method of claim 10, wherein the path is such that a speed of the vehicle is adjusted to account for an object within the traveling lane.

14. The control method of claim 10 further comprising receiving additional data from the other vehicles and automatically steering the vehicle onto another path.

15. The control method of claim 10 further comprising, in response to receiving data indicating an occupant-initiated abort request, cancel the automatically steering.