Robotic vehicle control

• US 9,771,085 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Duncan, William D., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sood, Anshul
• Application Number:
  US15/157,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20160257311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 701 292
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/06 responsive to incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/14 Clutch pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/21 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/221 Physiology, e.g. weight, heartbeat, health or special needs
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/229 Attention level, e.g. attentive to driving, reading or sleeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/24 Drug level, e.g. alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/26 Incapacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• 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 30/12 Lane keeping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/16 Control of distance between vehicles, e.g. keeping a distance to preceding vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/12 : Limiting control by the driver depending on vehicle state, e.g. interlocking means for the control input for preventing unsafe operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0051 : from occupants to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 60/0053 : from vehicle to occupant
• 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: B60W 60/007 : Emergency override Handing over between remote control and on-board control or handing over between remote control arrangements G05D1/227
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0061 : for transition from automatic pilot to manual pilot and vice versa

Abstract

A vehicle includes a detection system configured to acquire data regarding operation of the vehicle, and a robotic driving device configured to provide robotic control of the vehicle. The vehicle also includes a control system configured to determine whether the robotic driving device is activated, such that the vehicle is in robotic driving mode; receive a request by a prospective operator of the vehicle to deactivate the robotic driving device to initiate a manual driving mode; determine whether the prospective operator is impaired based on the data; and selectively grant or refuse the request based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method of analyzing an operator of a vehicle for impairment, comprising:

acquiring data regarding an operator during operation of the vehicle;

activating a robotic driving mode during the operation of the vehicle;

receiving a driving command from the operator during the robotic driving mode of operation of the vehicle;

evaluating whether the operator is impaired during the robotic driving mode of operation of the vehicle based on at least one of the data and the received driving command; and

selectively deactivating robotic driving mode based on the evaluation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating robotic driving mode based on the evaluation that the operator is not impaired.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the evaluation includes comparing effects of the operator driving commands to effects of driving commands received from a robotic driving device configured to control robotic driving mode.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising maintaining activation of the robotic driving mode when the difference between the effects exceeds a threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein robotic driving mode is deactivated when the difference between the effects is less than a threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein robotic driving mode is configured to provide robotic operation of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein an evaluator is configured to evaluate the operator of the vehicle during an evaluation period to determine whether the operator is impaired.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the evaluator includes a timer, wherein the timer is configured to set a length of time for an evaluation period.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the timer is configured to set a length of time between evaluation periods.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving command includes a verbal instruction.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving command includes a physical command, wherein the physical command includes at least one indication of:

a movement of a steering wheel of the vehicle, an application of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, an application of a clutch pedal of the vehicle, and an application of a brake pedal of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein an evaluator is configured to analyze the driving commands for operator impairment.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeatedly evaluating the operator while the operator is in control of the vehicle.

14. An impaired driving avoidance system, comprising:

a detection system configured to acquire data regarding an operator of a vehicle; and

a control system coupled to the detection system including an evaluator, wherein the control system is configured to;

determine that a robotic driving device is activated, such that the vehicle is in a robotic driving mode of operation;

determine whether the operator is impaired based on the data;

receive a request to deactivate the robotic driving device; and

selectively deactivate the robotic driving device based on the determination of whether an impairment exists;

wherein the evaluator is configured to constrain control of the vehicle and provide an operator with an evaluation period within which to show that the operator is not impaired.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control system is configured to activate the robotic driving device based on a determination that the operator is impaired.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the control system is configured to activate the robotic driving device based on a determination of an impairment of the operator.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the robotic driving device is configured to drive the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the control system includes a memory configured to store data levels for a plurality of vehicle operators.

19. The system of claim 14, further including an operator input/output device, the operator input/output device configured to display acquired data to an operator.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the operator input/output device is configured transmit operator commands to the control system.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the operator input/output device is configured to allow a user to program data levels that correspond to an operator impairment.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the operator input/output device is configured to allow a user to program data levels that correspond to an emergency situation.